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The  Apostolical  Commission: 
The  Sermon  at  the  consecration  of  the  Right 
Reverond  Leonid  as  Polk,  D,D,,  Missionary 
Bishop  for  Arkansas. 


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by 
Charles  Pettlt  Mcllvalne 


-r-ii^. 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


TIIK  APOSTOLICAL  (()Vr\rTSSTO\ 


T  H   i:    S  K  ]\  M  ()  \ 


AT  Tfir.  rONSKCIlATION 


THI-:  RICllT  RKVEREND  LEONIDAS  POLK,  D.D. 


iiitisiowRY   nrsiiof  roii  aukansas; 


IN  (  riRIST  CHUKCII,  CINCINNATI, 


UKcrMnER  9,   I«3S: 


BY  ( ■  H  A  11 1 , 1-: s  F  r; 'j'  t  i  t  m  .  i  l  \  a  i  n  i: .  d .  i> 


tisiioj'  nv  Tin:  diocese  of  ojiio. 


U  A  MHli:i(,   (). 
c  .  >v  .   M  Y  r.  n !  :     v\  k  «  r  r  it  x  c  u  i'  n  r  h  p  h  k  i  i  . 


U  lUCt   SXWIU. 


(!iNciNNATi,  Dec.  9,  ISS-?. 

RioHT  Rfir.  AND  Dkar  Brother, — 

We  have  listened  to  your  Sermon,  this  morning,  with 
emotions  we  will  not  attempt  to  describe.  Vv"e  pray  the  divine  bless- 
ing upon  the  holy  truths  contained  therein. 

In  asking  you  to  furnish  a  copy  for  publication,  we  feel  assured 
that  we  shall  gratify,  not  merely  those  who  heard  it,  but  far  more  wh» 
will  delight  to  read  i(.  We  pray  that  God  may  long  spare  you.  and 
give  you  grace  to  exhibit  and  recommend  in  your  life  and  labors,  the 
exalted  sentiments  set  forth  in  the  sermon  of  which  we  hereby  re- 
quest the  publication. 

Yonr's  most  affectionately  in  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ!, 

WILLIAM  MEADE, 

Assistant  Bishop  of  Virpjiia^ 

B.  B.  SMITH, 

Bishop  of  Kentvchy. 

JAMES  H.  OTEY, 

Bishop  of  Tennessee. 

LEONIDAS  POLK, 

Missionary  Bishop  of  Achansas^. 


THK  APOSTOLICAL  CO.NLMISSION, 


MATTHEW  XXVlll.   18,  19,20. 


And  Jem's  cams  and  spake  u.nto  thkm,  sayino,  AM-rowEa  is  civex  usto  me  ix 

riBAVEN  ASD  I.y  KARTH.  Go  YK  THEREFORK  AMD  TEACH  ALL  NATION?,  DAPTtZi:»0 
THEM  I.H  THE  NAME  OF  TilK  FaTHER,  AND  OF  THE  SoN,  ASD  0¥  THE  IIoLV  GhoST; 
TKACHING  THEM  TO  OBSERTK  AtX  THINGS  WHATSOEVER  I  HAVE  COMMANDED  YOU;  AlfD 
I.O,   I  AM  WITH  ¥00   AUWAY,  EVEN  UNTO  THr.  END  OK  THE  WORLD, 

It   was  a  time  of  singular  interest   in  tlie   develop- 
ment ol:'  the  divine  purposes  of  grace  to   this  world, 
when  Jesus  delivered  these  words  to  his  Apostles.     He 
n     stood  before  them  in  liis  once  dead,    but  now  risen 
5J     body;  ready  to  return  to  the  right  hand  of  God  the 
^    Father,  from  whence  he  had  come.     The  hour  of  his 
g    ascension  is  at  liand.     Tiie  preparation  for  tiie  full  es- 
■^    tablishment  of  his  Ciuirch  under  the  nev/  and  final  dis- 
^    pensation  is   complete.     The  whole  Mosaic  economy 
"in    is  iust  about  to  expire.     It  has  been  one  of  light  in 
g   com})arison  v.ith  the  darkness  that  surrounded  it,  but 
of  light  shut  up,  like  the  mystic  candlestick  of  its  own 
tabernacle,  in   a  single   habitation,   and  shining  upon 
8   only  a  single  family  of  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth. 
Ji;    'i'jiat  light  is  now  to  be  brought  out  and  set  o\\  high 
S   and  made  the  light  of  the  world.      The  gospel  of  sal- 
^   vation,  by  Jesus  Christ,  whicli  by  types  and  prophe- 
y   cies   had   before  been   ])reached  obscurely  only    to    a 
chosen  people,  is  now  to  be  read,  unveiled,  and  pub- 
lished to  every  nation  under  heaven.     Since  the  days 
of  the  Patriarchs,  the  Cluircli  had  been  national  and 
local ;  it  was  now   to  be  catholic,  as  well  as  to  place 
and  time  as  nation ;  catholic,  because  opening  her  gates 
to  all  people ;  catholic,  because   diffusing  her  blessings 
overall  the  earth;  catholic,   because  intended  for  all 
ages  to  the  end  of  the  world.     Two  chief  events  alone 


i 


remained  to  be  acconipli.shed,  before  all  this  passing 
away  of  the  old  dispensation  and  the  full  introduction 
of  the  new  could  be  completed;  the  one,  the  invest- 
ment of  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  with  its  final  and 
complete  commission ;  the  other,  tlie  sending  of  the 
promise  of  the  Father — the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
the  light,  and  strength,  and  consolation  of  an  infant 
Church — soon  to  be  bereaved  of  the  visible  presence 
of  its  divine  Author  and  Head.  The  descent  of  this 
promised  powder,  the  Apostles  were  directed  to  await  in 
Jerusalem.  They  received  it  at  the  Pentecost.  The 
communication  of  their  commission  was  the  work  of  a 
prior  day,  and  is  the  evejit  related  in  our  text.  The 
risen  Saviour,  surrounded  by  liis  Apostles,  whose  faith 
had  been  stunned  by  the  crucifixion  of  their  Lord,  and 
was  scarcely  restored  by  his  resurrection,  was  about  to 
give  them  their  commission  as  his  ambassadors  to  the 
whole  world,  and  to  invest  them  "with  supreme  author- 
ity, under  himself,  to  plant,  to  rear,  and  to  rule  his 
universal  Church.  Such  a  ministry  was  as  yet  unknown. 
An  office,  so  extensive,  had  not  been  thought  of  but 
in  the  inspired  visions  of  the  prophets.  Jesus  begins  : 
*  ^  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  earth, ^'^  What 
a  sublime  introduction  to  such  a  commission !  He  had 
taken  our  sorrows — borne  our  sins — met  our  foes — died 
our  death — and  now,  in  rew^ard  of  his  victory,  there  was 
given  him,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  the  divine  Mediator 
between  God  and  man,  **a  name  a1)ove  every  name," 
*'that  all  people,  nations,  arid  languages  should  serve 
him,'*  and  that,  as  "iiead  o\'er  all  principalities  and 
powers,"  he  might  be  "head  over  all  things  to  His 
Church."  This  infinite  dignity  he  now^  asserts,  and  on 
the  basis  of  this  unlimited  right,  delivers  the  instruc- 
tions  of  his  Apostles,  and  invests  them  with  their 
office.  *'  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  bap- 
tizing them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the   Hohj  Ghost;  teaching  them   to  observe  all 


.5 

things^   whatsoever  I  have  co)nmanded  you :    and  h,   I 
am  ivifh  yon  ahvay,  even  unfo  the  end  of  the  world.*' 

Now,  my  brethren,  I  am  anxious  to  comey  to  \  our 
minds  a  full  conception  of  the  relative  im])ortance  of 
the  event  here  related.  But  this  I  cannot  do,  unless 
you  conceive  aright  of  tlie  whole  system  of  events  and 
designs  of  God  with  which  it  was  connected.  You 
will  perhaps  imagine  that  I  speak  in  very  figuniti\e 
language  when  I  call  tlie  dispensation  of  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  then  began,  and  is  now  fast  ad- 
vancing to  its  consummation,  the  new  creation  ;  and  the 
times  of  which  our  text  speaks,  the  Jir.st  day  of  that 
new  creation ;  and  you  will  perhaps  suppose  me  dealing 
in  language  exceedingly  hyperbolical,  and  a  comparison 
far  overstrained,  if  I  compare  this  new  creation  in 
point  of  sublimity,  and  glory,  and  importance,  to  the 
first,  the  creation  of  these  visible  heavens  and  earth ; 
and  especially  if  I  say  that  this  material  workmanshij) 
must  be  considered  as  far  inferior  in  all  such  respects 
to  the  other.  But  such  is  the  langua'jre  and  such  is 
the  estimate  of  the  Scriptures.  They  represent  the 
Creator  of  all  things  as  promising  the  dispensation  (^1 
the  gospel  in  such  words  as  these:  *' Behold  I  create  a 
new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  wherein  dwelletli  right- 
eousness"— and  they  tell  us,  that  tlie  citizens  of  tliis 
new  creation  arc  *^ncic  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus-,"  tliat 
they  "have  put  on  the  i/rir  man,"  and  are  renewed 
in  that  image  of  God  in  wliicli  tiie  first  man  was  crea- 
ted and  which  by  sin  was  lost ;  that  this  new  crea- 
tion, just  as  much  as  the  creation  of  this  globe,  is  the 
work  of  the  infinite  power  of  Goil,  and  that,  as  "(lod 
"commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,"  when 
the  cartli  was  without  form  and  void,"  so  doth  liC  now 
with  equal  might  and  in  (Mpial  majesiv  shine  into  t'le 
heart  of  the  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus  to  gi\^^  him 
"the  light  of  the  kn(n\k>(l'j("  ol"  ihe  l':!<ii\  ol  (iod  in  iIh^ 
face  of  Jesus  Christ." 


Kor  is  there  any  tiling  strained  in  this  comparison. 
When  I  read  the  subhme  narrative  of  the  creation  of 
the  v/orld,  what  impresses  me  most  is  not  the  com-^ 
manding  of  order  out  of  chaos — of  Hght  out  of  dark- 
ness; not  the  instant  gathering  together  of  the  waters; 
nor  the  clothing  of  the  new  earth  with  its  vesture  of 
many  colours ;  nor  the  storing  of  its  surface  and  of  its 
waters  v/ith  things  animate  and  inanimate;  not  even 
the  over-spreading  of  it  all,  with  this  glorious  firma- 
ment; nor  the  susTDcnsion  there  of  suns  and  stars; — 
but  that  v/heii  Jill  this  temple  of  God  was  finished,  and 
all  v/as  perfect,  and  all  waited  in  silence  the  entrance 
of  some  appropriate  worshipper — some  high  priest, 
with  a  mind  capable  of  collecting  all  the  incense  of 
nature  and  a  heart  pure  enough  to  offer  it  up,  as  in  a 
golden  censer,  before  tlie  tiirone  of  God — that  then 
said  the  Almighty,  as  if  about  to  put  the  crown  upon 
the  head  of  his  creation,  "/?^  us  mahe  man  in  our  im- 
age, after  our  likeness.'''  Tliat  was  the  last  and  far  the 
greatest  v/ork  of  all — a  splrilaal  creation,  the  creation 
of  an  iiumortal  mind  to  take  the  lordship  of  all  this  glo- 
rious domain  of  matter — to  occup)^  and  enjoy  it  for  his 
Creator  ;  and  that  immortal  mind  exalted  immeasura- 
bly above  all  the  rest  of  things  created  upon  the  earth, 
in  its  possessing  the  immje  and  likeness  of  God.  That 
last  work  was  emphatically  the  creation. 

And  then  when  sin  had  entered,  and  dcatli  by  sin, 
why  that  sudden  and  mysterious  change  th.roughout  all 
the  provinces  of  animate  and  inanimate  nature;  para- 
dise without  an  inhabitant;  its  entrance  guarded  by  the 
flaming  sword  of  the  chenibim;  man  a  downcast  exile; 
all  nature  in  mourning;  the  sun  sliining  upon  a  deso- 
lated Eden  and  a  blighted  Morld?  Alas,  the  glory  of 
creation  is  departed — {he  noblest  work  of  God,  his 
.spiritual  workmansliip,  man  in  the  likeness  of  his  Ma- 
ker is  no  more. — He  is  fallen  1  Sin  has  eflaced  the 
chief  i-)(>;uii V  of  creation    in   haAing   put   out  its  light. 


And  now  the  altar  is  without  a  priest,  the  temple  with- 
out a  worsliijiper,  ami  the  golden  censer  broken  and 
profaned. 

But  these  "works  of  the  de\il"  arc  to  ho  destroyed. 
Ruined  man  is  to  be  redeemed  from  that  fall.  A  Me- 
diator, the  God- Man  appears  to  restore  him  to  the 
likeness  of  his  Maker,  and  to  tlie  temple,  and  the  al- 
tar, and  the  paradise;  and  so  again  to  raise  from  all 
nature,  by  marvellous  grace,  the  praise  of  God  the  Cre- 
ator, througli  Christ  the  Redeemer.  Tliis  is  one  of 
the  two  grand  objects  of  tlic  gospel;  literally,  to  create 
anew  that  lost  image  of  God  in  man.  Vv'cU  and  truly 
then  is  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  denominated 
of  God,   His  new  creation. 

Like  tlie  creation  of  the  heavens  and  tlie  earth,  this 
new  workmanship  is  progressive.      The    evening  and 
the  morning  were  its  fii^st  day,  when  the  Spirit  descen- 
ded at  Pentecost,  and  God  said  by  *'  tongues  of  fire," 
let  there  he  lif/hty  and  the  Apostles  went   every  v.diere 
preaching  Christ,  and  myriads  v\Tre  made  new  creatures 
''through   sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the 
truth."     It  has  had  continual  progress   since,  though 
Satan  never  ceasing  to  war  against  tlic  second  Adam, 
as  against  the  first,  has  often  impeded  its  purposes,  de- 
filed its  beauty,  and  covered  its  sky  witli  storms.     It  is 
now  in  its  sixth  day.     "  TIw  times  of  the  restitution  of 
aU  things '''  as  they  were  in  the  beginning  ot  the  world, 
and  ever  shall  be,  are  near  at  hand.     "Vv^c,  according 
to  the  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth, 
wherein    dwclleth   righteousness"*  most  perfect     Tlie 
last,  finishing  work,  as  in  the  old  creation,  will  be  the 
forming  of  the  body  of  the  new  man  out  of  the  dust 
of  the  ground.      Its  ruins  are  now  in  the  grave.     At 
the  trump  of  God  it  shall  stand  up,  incorruptible,  im- 
mortal; and    "the  spirits  o'i    the  ju.«t  made   perfect" 
shall  come  down  from  God,  out  of  fieavcn,    and   re- 
's Pet:  iii.  IJ. 


8 

possess  their  bodies,  and  so  the  creation  will  be  com- 
plete and  the  work  of  the  Redeemer  ended.  Then 
the  everlasting  Sabbath!  Then  will  be  seen  *'the 
Lord  from  heaven,"  Jesus  the  Redeemer,  at  once  the 
Creator  and  Pattern  of  all,  resting  from  his  work  of 
boundless  grace,  surrounded  by  an  immaculate  church 
which  cannot  be  numbered  for  multitude,  each  blissful 
countenance  reflecting  his  image,  each  ransomed  saint 
radiant  in  his  glory,  beginning  the  Sabbath,  hallowed 
and  blessed  to  everlasting.  And  then  will  a  song  be 
sung  by  the  Church,  such  as  the  sons  of  God,  when 
they  shouted  for  joy,  at  the  finishing  of  this  earthly 
creation,  could  not  sing — such  as  Adam  in  Paradise 
could  never  have  known — a  song  to  which  only  the 
golden  harps  of  those  who  have  been  new-created  and 
redeemed  from  his  fall  could  be  strung:  "  Unto  Him 
that  loved  tis  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  oivn 
hlood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God 
and  his  Father  \  To  him  he  giorij  and  dominion  forever 
and  ever.     Amen.'* 

Then  will  the  comparison  appear,  between  that  new 
world  of  grace,  with  a  shining  tenantry  of  the  ransom- 
ed, and  perfected,  and  sealed  inheritors  of  its  glory, 
and  the  world  of  nature  as  the  dav/n  of  the  first  Sab- 
bath beheld  it,  *'when  the  morning  stars  sang  together 
for  joy,"  but  when,  beautiful  and  perfect  as  it  v/as, 
there  appeared  but  one  of  all  its  v/orks  dignified  by 
the  possession  of  a  rational  and  immortal  soul,  enno- 
bled by  the  impress  of  the  image  and  likeness  of  the 
Creator;  only  one  able  to  knov/  him,  competent  to 
adore  him ;  and  that  one,  not  the  w^orkmanship  of  grace 
— not  plucked  as  a  brand  from  the  biu-ning — not  won 
from  hell  by  the  agonies  of  the  Son  of  God  upon  the 
cross,  making  atonement  for  its  sins.  We  cannot  take 
time  to  set  out  that  comparison.  We  know  to  which 
side  the  host  of  heaven,  who  rejoice  over  one  sinner 
that   repenteth,  will  award  the  praise  of  supremacy  in 


9 

ali  that  is  glorious  to  (iod  and  excellent  to  man.      We 
know  wiiich  will  seem  the  better  and  the  more  wonder- 
ful; not  that  in  which  order  arose  out  of  chaos  with  the 
moving  of  the  S})irit  of  God  u])on  the  face  of  the  deep ; 
but  that  wliose  first  day  was  ushered   in  by  the   de- 
scent of  the  same   Spirit  ui)on   a  world   of  benighted, 
and  confounded,  and  upon  wandering,  and  lost  immor- 
tal minds — to  give  them  "the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ;"  not  that 
creation,   in  which   man  apj)eared  as   the   head  of  his 
race,   perfect  indeed,  but  ca])able  of  sin,    and  where 
Satan  was  permitted  to  enter,  and  Adam  was  ruined  by 
his  temptations,  and  all  his  race  died  in  his  fall ;  but  that 
second  creation  in  which  the  first  man  appeared,  not 
only  perfect  in  his  nature,  but  having  that  nature  in 
mysterious  union  with  the  divine;  so  that  *'the  second 
Adam"  was  no  less  than  "the  Lord  from  heaven,"  the 
head  of  a  new  and  s})iritual  race,  himself  without  sin 
and  incapable  of  sin,  encountering  Satan,  the  usurping 
god  of  this  world,  in  the  height  of  his  kingdom,  recov- 
ering the  lost  from  his  dominion  by  the  sacrifice  of  him- 
self, purchasing  everlasting  life  for  his  seed,  by  j)aying 
in  his   own  death  the  penalty  of  all  the   sin  which,  by 
the  transgression  of  the   first  Adam,  had  cursed  man- 
kind— and   not  resting   from  his  work — not  beginning 
the   Sabbath  of  his  Ciiurch,   till  all  was  so  perfect  that 
Satan  could  never  enter  its  paradise,  nor  sin  defile  its 
purity,  nor  a  single  soul  ever  foil  from  the  image  and 
glory  of  God. 

Now  we  trust  we  have  ])rci)ared  your  minds  to  esti- 
mate, in  some  good  degree,  the  interest  of  tliat  moment 
in  the  beginning  of  the  dispensation  of  the  gos])el, 
when  the  Son  of  God,  having  "all  power  in  hea\  en 
and  earth,"  commissioned  his  ambassadors  to  go  and 
teach  all  nations;  to  introduce  them  into  his  church, 
and  bring  them  to  the  observance  of  his  command- 
ments.      It  was    a  moment    equivalent    to  tlint    in   the 

2 


10 

ibrniing  of  the  material  world  when  ^^God  said^  let  there 
he  Uijlds  hi  the.  Jinnament  of  heaven^  to  divide  the  day 
from  the  7ught"  It  was  literally  the  setting  up  in  the 
firmament  of  the  new  creation  those  ruling  orbs  of 
light,  which,  receiving  the  light  of  the  departed  Sun 
of  Righteousness,  were  to  communicate  it  from  him  to 
all  the  world,  and  in  his  name  to  rule  over  this  star-light 
morning,  until  He  shall  appear  again  to  bring  the  per- 
fect, endless  day. 

This  introduces  us  to   the  first  question  arising  out 
of  the  text — 

What  ivas  the  pecidiar^  charaxiteristic  nature  of  tJie 
office  which  the  Apostles  were  commissioned  to  exercise  ? 
The  authentic  voucher  of  office  is  the  commission. 
To  the  commission  of  the  Apostles,  then,  we  must 
refer  you  for  the  distinctive  peculiarities  of  their  office. 
Whatever  is  not  contained  tlierein,  either  expressly,  or 
by  necessary  inference,  must  be  considered  as  not  per- 
taining to  the  characteristic  duties  and  pov/ers  of  the 
Apostles. 

Now  the  Apostles  were  distinguished  by  certain  cir- 
cumstantial peculiarities,  and  certain  miraculous  gifts.. 
Were  these  so  connected  with  tlie  apostolic  office,  as 
to  constitute  in  any  sense  its  distinguishing  features? 
Thej/  are  not  mentioned  in  the  commission.^  as  found  in 
the  ioyJi.  For  example,  the  Apostles  were  distinguish- 
ed by  the  fact  that  tliey  liad  seen  Christ  in  the  flesh, 
after  his  resurrection  ;  but  so  had  many  others — "  eveti 
five  hundred  brethren  at  once.''^*  Thus  were  the  Apos- 
tles qualified  to  be  *'v/itnesses  of  his  resurrection;" 
but  this  qualification  was  not  their  com)nission.  It 
was  part  of  their  furniture ;  but  no  part  of  their 
office.  Again  :  they  had  been  set  apart  to  their  office, 
1)1/  the  immediate  and  visible  act  of  the  Saviour.  But 
Matthias  v/as  afterwards  numbered  with  the  Apostles ; 

*  I  Cor :  XV.  6. 


11 

and  Barnabas,  and  'J'iniolliy,  and  K})aplnoditiis  were 
Apostles,  to  whom  belonged  no  sueli  distinction  ;*"  so 
that,  eminent  as  was  this  personal  honour,  it  was  not 
necessary  to  the  designation  or  place  of  an  Apostle. 
Again  :  the  Apostles  were  possessed  of  miraculou.'^ 
powers.  But  so  were  divers  others,  as  Stephen,  and 
Phili}),  to  whom  the  name  of  Apostle  was  never  given. 
It  tbllows,  that  such  endowments  were  not  peculiar, 
features  of  the  A})ostolic  office.  I'^ssential  to  its  suc- 
cess in  those  days,  they  undoubtedly  were ;  but  es- 
sential to  its  nature,  they  certainly  were  not.  We 
must  not  confound  authority  to  act,  witli  the  means  of 
acting  successfully  ;  the  office  of  an  amba^ssador,  with 
the  force  of  mind,  or  the  personal  endowments  witli 
whicii  he  sustiiins  his  embassy;  i\\Q.  commission  o^  oim 
whom  the  King  despatches  to  subdue  and  govern  a  dis- 
tant province,  with  the  array  of  martial  force  with 
w^hich  he  marches  to  the  work.  No  more  must  the 
essential  office  of  the  Apostles,  sent  to  subdue,  and  es- 
tablish, and  rule,  as  ambassadors  of  Christ,  be  con- 
founded with  those  extraordinary  endowments  and  all 
that  striking  array  of  miraculous  powers  with  wliich 
tliey  were  furnished  for  their  enterprise.  Such  endow- 
ments were  needed  for  the  first  pro-pa^^ation  of  the 
gos])el.  Tliey  have  not  been  needed  since.  They 
have  therefore  ceased.  But  the  essential  commission 
of  the  Apostles,  to  which  they  were  a])pended,  lias  not 
ceased,  nor  can  cease,  wliile  the  world  lasts  ;  for  CIn-ist 

•  Acts,  i.  26  ;  xiv.  1  i  :  1  Tiicss.  ii.  0,  compar«.-l  witli  i.  1  :  Philip,  ii.  2r)  ; 
— "  my  brother,  and  companion  in  lahour,  nnd  fellow-soldier,  but  ijonr  vicssen- 
gcTf  ( ijoitr  apostlr.,  iftur  aTuc-mXet.)  nocaiiso  Epaphroditus  is  Iiere  Called  "  MOi/r 
apoKtle,"  or  messenper,  no  more  warrants  the  inference  that  St.  Paul  only  meant 
that  he  was  sent  Inj  tlir  Pliili/i/iinis,  a  inesstmder  for  a  .-special  errand,  and  not  an 
apostle  m  the  ^-Iriri sense,  than  the  phrase  ."  a/iosUc  of  llic  Gt.iitUrs"  applied  to  St. 
Paul,  or  ^^  apostle  of  the.  rirannrision"  ajipli-^d  to  St.  Peter,  atithorizes  the  infer- 
ence that  f^ucli  only  was  the  oflicc  of  St.  Pet'jrandSt.  Paul.  Tlie  Ajjostlcship  of 
Kpaphrodilus  was  understood  in  the  striclist  and  hiphcet  sense  by  the  Fathers. 
Theodorot,  writing  on  the  above  pas.sagc  of  Pliili]>pian3  calls  his  office  an  cpisco- 
pair.,  just  as  Peter  called  that  of  the  Apostles.  "  Dictus  I'hilippcn^ium  Aiinstoliis 
'I  S.  Pinili),  ijiiid  hue  tdiiid  nisi  rpiscopiis  '"  Jerome  also  says  that  Kpaphroditus 
wa^  called  apostle,  "  hccausc  he  also  had  rcccivtd  the  oriicE  of  bcin^  an  Apostle 
among  (he  Philipj'iaiis,"' 


12 

lias  promised  that  he  will  be  with  that  office  to  the  end 
of  the  world.  That  commission  was  complete  as  soon 
as  delivered;  and  from  that  moment  its  recipients  were 
invested  with  all  the  functions  of  the  Apostolic  office. 
But  not  so,  with  regard  to  miraculous  gifts  and  qualifi- 
cations. These  were  not  bestowed  till  many  days  after 
the  delivery  of  the  commission.  It  was  before  the 
ascension  of  Christ  that  the  full  authority  of  Apostles 
was  bestowed.  It  was  not  till  the  Pentecost  that  they 
received  *^ power  from  on  high"  for  the  support  of  that 
authority. 

Thus  are  we  brought  again  to  the  question —  What 
teas  the  peculiar  and  characteristic  nature  of  the  Apos- 
tolic office  ?      They  themselves   applied  to  it  a  name 
which  will  aid  the  answer.     Peter,  in  addressing  his 
brother  Apostles  concerning  the  filling  of  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the   death   of  Iscariot,  expressly  styles  the 
office  which  the  traitor  had  vacated,  his  bishopric,  or  his 
episcopate,  as  the   original   reads.      The  same  is   also 
called,  in  the  same  transaction,  his  apostleship.     Hence, 
in  the  writings   of  the  Fathers,  the  names   of  apostle 
and  bishop  are  used  as  pertaining  essentially  to  the  same 
office.*      But  the  w^ord  bishopi-ic  or  episcopate,  in  the 
abstract,  only  means  an  office  oi  supervision,  in  gener- 
al; and  the  supervision  may  be  either  of  single  con- 
gregations, as   in  the  cases  of  *' the  elders'*  of   Ephe- 
sus;t  or  of  many    congregations,    ivith  their  overseers, 
as  in  the   case    of  Paul,    who  assembled  and  charg- 
ed those    Elders.      What  then    was  the  peculiar  na- 
ture of  the  supervision,   or   Episcopate  exercised  by 
the   Apostles,  that  name,  of  itself,   does  not  indicate. 
Whither   shall   we  go   to  -ascertain  whether   it  was   a 

*  Cyprian  writes  of  the  Apostles  in  that  manner  ;  as  for  example  :  "  Aposto- 
los,  id  est  Episcojws,  Doininus  elegit:" — Tlw  Lord  chose  Apostles,  ihatisto  say, 
Bisliojii.  "They  which  were  termed  Apostles,  as  being  sent  ot  Clirist  topuWish 
his  gospel  throughout  the  world,  and  were  named  Bishops,  in  that  the  care  of 
government  was  also  committed  to  them,  did  no  less  perform  the  offices  of  their 
Episcopal  authority  by  governing,  than  of  their  Apostolical  by  teaching." — Hook- 
er's Ecd.  Vol. 

t  Acts,  XX.  28 — Overseers — Bishops,  IxuxKii-xaui. 


1^ 

j)ai'ticular,    or  a  gcncriil   supervision;  congregational, 
or  tlie   contrary?     Their   commission   decides.      **  G^o 
and   teach    (ill  ^ntfiiffts,"    Sec.       I'lierefbre,     Avluitever 
powers  their  Aposf/es/iijj  or  Ejjlscopafc  embraced,  were 
not    limited    lo    any  particular    congregation    of    the 
church,   but  extcMided  to  the  M'hole  cluu-ch  ;   in  other 
words,  the   "Bisliopric"    in  tlie  hands  of  the  Apostles 
was  evidently  generaly   as  distinguished  from  congrer/a- 
tional.     AVhat  })articular   functions    belonged   to  that 
general  oversight  or  Ej)isco})ate,  their  connnission  leaves 
no  room  to  doubt.      First — "  (ro  atul  teach  all  iiaticms  ;* 
or  as   the  more   acccurate   and   universally  preferred 
translation  is — jo  aiul  make  disciples  of  all  natimis. 
Thus   was    given  authority  to  propagate  the  gospel. 
^'-  13ctptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father ^^^  &c.     Here 
was   authority    to   administer  the    sacraments   of  the 
church;  and  by  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  to  open  the 
doors  of  the  church,   and  of  its  privileges,  to  discijiles 
out  of  all  nations.      Finally,  -"  teachi)if/  them  to  ohsei-ve 
<dl  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you.^''     These 
words  conveyed  to  the  Apostles  the  authority  to  rule 
the  church,  after  they  had  made  disciples  by  preaching, 
and   members   by  ba])tism.      An   essential  part  of  the 
govermnent  of  the  church  consisted  in  seeing  to  the 
succession  of  its  ministry.     That  the   autliority  to  do 
this,  to  ordain  successors  in  the  ministry,  was  included 
among  the  ])owers  of  the  A])ostles,  is  not  only  neces- 
sarily im])iied    in  their  authority  to  govern,  but   also 
in  those  impressive  words  of  the  Saviour:  '^  As  the  Fa- 
ther hath  sent  me,   even  so  send  I gou,''^     For  as  it  was 
part  of  the  office  on  which  Jesus  was  sent,  to  institute 
the  ministry  of  his  church  ;  so,  it  follows  from  these 
words,  that  it  was  part  of  tlie  sending  of  the  A])ostles, 
to  continue  that  ministrv,  bv  the  ordainino-  of  others  to 
its  functions. 

The  conclusion,   tlien,   with  regard  to  the  character- 
istic nature  of  the  apostolic   oflice,   is,  thai  it  was  one 


14 

of  a  general  super vLla/i,  or  episcopate  ;  and  einbracod 
essentially  the  authority  to  preach  and  propagate  the 
gospel ;  to  administer  the  sacraments  of  the  church  ; 
to  preside  over  its  government,  and,  as  a  chief  part  ol 
government,  to  ordain  helpers  and  successors  in  the 
ministry.  All  these  powers  the  Apostles  held,  not  as  a 
collective  hody,  or  college  ;  but  severally,  and  individually. 
Hitherto,  we  have  been,  so  far  as  I  know,  upon  un- 
disputed ground.     Let  us  proceed. 

Tliis  apostolic  office  ivas  intended  by  tJie  Saviour  to  he 
continued  ;  in  other  words,  the  first  Apostles  were  inten- 
ded to  have  successors,  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

This  is  undeniably  manifest  from  the  promise  of  the 
Saviour,  annexed  to  their  commission:  "Xo,  I  am  tvith 
you  always,    even  unto  the  end  of  the  ivorld."     Now,  if 
neither  the  persons  of  the  Apostles  were  intended  to 
remain  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  nor  their  miracidous 
endowments  ;  nor  their  distinguishing  office ;  if  ail  have 
passed  away ;  we  are  quite  unable  to  comprehend  how 
that  promise  is  fulfilled,  or  what  it  could  have  meant. 
But  the  persons  of  the  first   Apostles   do  not   remain. 
Their  mirac}doiis  gifts  have  not  been  continued  in  the 
church.      It  follows  then  that  tlieAr  distinguishing  office 
must  remain ;  that  it  v/as  to  tliis  office,  and  to  those 
who  should  hold  it  in  succession,  that  tlie  Saviour  prom- 
ised his  presence  "to  the  end  of  the  world."     No  other 
sense  can  possibly  be  put  on  his  words.     If  then  the 
office  of  the  Apostles,  as  learned  from  their  commis- 
sion, and  interpreted  by  all  the  acts  ot  tlieir  ministry, 
was  an  Episcopate — an   office  of  supervision,  and  that 
of  a  general  kind — and  if  each  Apostle  did  embrace  in 
his  individual  office  the  right  to  preach,  administer  the 
sacraments,  exercise  supreme  jurisdiction  in  the  church, 
and,    under  the  head    of  jurisdiction,  to  ordain  and 
rule  ministers  of  the  gospel ;  it  follows  that  an  office 
of  precisely  that  description  was  intended  to  continue; 
has  continued  from  that  time  to  this-,  and  will  be  con- 


15 

tinuccl  in  tlie  cliurcli,  l)y  the  will  of  its  divino    Head, 
to  tlie  oml  of  tlie  world.* 

But  where  shall  we  find  this  office  in  the  present 
church ;  this  union  of  authority  to  preach  and  admin- 
ister sacraments,  iiufh  this  uuUvidual  rir/ht  to  onhiin, 
fuul  fJiis prcsidcncj/  over  chr(/i/  ;  this  original,  a})()stolic 
Episcopate?  Evidently,  there  must  be  somewhere  in 
the  church  at  the  present  time,  unless  the  Lord's  word 
has  failed,  officers,  of  whom  it  may  be  said,  without 
arrogance  anil  in  simple  deference  to  the  promise  of 
Christ,  that  in  all  essential  features  of  the  apostolic 
office,  they  are  tJie  successors  of  the  Apostles.  Where 
are  they?  The  question  we  have  no  right  to  treat  as 
imim])ortant.  Whether  a  most  solemn  promise  of 
Christ  has  been  fulhlled  or  not;  and  if  it  has,  where 
its  fulfilment  appears;  whether  an  office,  intended  by 
the  Head  of  the  church  to  continue  therein,  and,  as 
its  chief  office,  to  last  to  the  end  of  time,  has  contin- 
ued to  the  ])resent  time;  or  whether  it  lias  been  drop- 
])ed,  and  some  other  placed  in  its  stead,  is  surely  a 
question  of  no  ordinary  importance,  by  no  means  of  a 
merely  incidental  consequence ;  but  on  the  contrary 
of  vital  cOiUiection  \vith  the  permanent  interests  of 
religion,  and  not  by  any  to  be  passed  over  "  unadvi- 
sedly or  lightly,"  but  considered  "reverently,  discreet- 
ly, soberly,  and  in  tlic  fear  of  God." 

*  In  some  rosppcts,  every  Presbyter  is  a  successor  of  the  Apostles,  inasmucli 
as  lie  has  authority  to  pre;icli,  to  administer  the  sacraments  and  to  feed  or  rule, 
ns  a  pastor,  the  j)articular  flock  over  wliich  he  is  placod.  In  some  respects,  neitJier 
Bisliop,  nor  Pros))yters,  are  or  can  1)0  successors  of  the  A|)Ostles,  since  these 
"were  sent  as  rliosrn  ci/c-irUnrs^r,^  of  Jesus  Christ  j'ro7n  irhom  immrditilchf  they 
received  their  wiioh?  embassage  and  their  commissioti  to  be  the  princijuil  first 
founders  of  a  Hovsr.  of  God,  consistincj  as  well  of  Gentiles  as  of  Jews.  In  tliis, 
there  are  not  after  them  any  other  like  unto  them  ;  and  yet  the  Ajiostlcs  Imve 
now  liieir  successors  upon  earth,  their  true  successors,  if  not  in  the  larjreness, 
surely  in  the  kind  of  that  Episcopal  function,  whereby  they  had  power  to  sit  as 
spiritual  ordinary  Jud<jo3  I)oth  over  Laity  and  over  Clergy,  where  C/iristian 
Churches  were  established."    Hooker's  EccL  Pol.  viii.  ^  4. 

The  peculiarity  of  the  apostolic  oflice  to  which  Presbyters  cannot  bo  consid- 
ered as  liavinfir  succeeded,  and  to  which  in  the  text  we  liave  special  reference,  is 
that  kind  of  Episcopal  function  (as  Hooker  says)  "whereby  they  had  power  to 
fiit  as spiritiud,  ordinaitj  Jtidi'-.-s"  ore.r  rlcrg-ij  ns  wcM  as  laity;  in  otlier  words  to 
preside, not  o  nly  over  nin  ny  flocks,  but  orer  the  pastors  of  those  florks  and  to  ordain 
those  pastors.  Tiiiy  was  tlie  ofilce  of  the  Apostles,  not  collectively,  but  indivUl' 
ualbj,  and  this  the  Saviour  promised  to  bo  willi  "to  the  end  of  the  world." 


16 

But  before  I  further  put  this  question,  it  is  well  to 
remove  tlie  idea  which   so  commonly  starts  up  in  the 
minds  of  those  who  liear  or  read  on  this  subject,  when 
any  persons  holding  office  in  the  church  of  Christ,  in 
the  present  day,  are  termed  successors  of  the  Apostles ; 
are  said   to  have  succeeded  to  the  apostolic  office ;  as  if 
there  were  some  exceeding  arrogance  and  presumption 
in  the  claim.      Whether  it  be  arrogant  or  not,    de- 
pends entirely  upon  whether  it  be  true.     Nothing  is  so 
humble  and  unpretending  as  truth.     Did  any  one  claim 
to  have  succeeded  to  the  p)ersoyud  distinctions  and  en- 
dowments— the  inspiratioyi  and  divers  miraculous  gifts 
by  which  the  Apostles  were  qualified  for  their  extraor- 
dinary circumstances,    he  would  indeed  be  chargeable 
with  arrogant  presumption  ;  because,  concerning  these 
things,  there  was  no  promise  of  the  Lord  that  they 
should  continue  in  the  church  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
But  in  relation  to  the  office  of  the  Apostles,  there  is 
the  plainest  promise  of  such  continuance;  and  conse- 
quently however  the  assertion  may  sound,  it  must  be 
true  that  somewhere  in  the  church  at  this  time  there 
are  office-bearers,  either  Bishops,   Presbyters,  or  Dea- 
cons, who  severally^  and  in  virtue  of  their  office,  are  suc- 
,  cessors  of  the  Apostles — occupying,  iiuUvidually^  just 
that  relation  to  the  present  church  which  the  Apostles, 
by  virtue  of  the  essential  features  of  their  office,  sus- 
tained iiidividualltf  to  the  church  of  their  days.     The 
prejudice  that  arises  against  such  an  idea  will  not  bear 
a  moment's  reflection.    If  it  spring  from  a  comparison, 
as  to  persojial  character  and  fitness^  of  the  modern  suc- 
cessors, with  the  first  in  the  chain,  be  it  remembered 
that  Judas   Iscariot  was   numbered  with   the  Apostles, 
by  the  Saviour  himself,  and  Judas  was  a  traitor.     If 
the  prejudice  arise  from  the  consideration  that  the  com- 
mencement   of    the    Apostles'  office  was   miraculous; 
that  it  was    under  the  immediate  and    extraordinary 
designation  of  the  Son  of  God;  Avhereas  the  continu- 


17 

atlon  of  the  gospel  rrtluistry  is  by  the  ordination  of  men, 
an  ordinary  designation,   by  fallible   instruments;  we 
answer  by  referring  you  to  the  analogy  between  the 
new  creation  and  the  old,  in  regard  to  origin  and  suc- 
cession.    The  beginning  of  the  grass  of  the  field  was 
miraculous — by  the  instant  and  immediate  mandate  of 
God.     It  was  created  in  full  maturity.     But  its  suc- 
cession was  provided  for  by  no  such  measure.     The 
grass,  and  the  herb,  and  the  fruit  tree  were  furnished 
with  the  means  of  a  succession  by  ordinary  laws,  eacli 
liaving  "  seed  in,  itself\  after  Us  kind.'*     Thus  also  with 
man.     The  head  of  the  human  race  was  created   by 
the  immediate  hand  of  God;  but  the  succession,  from 
tluit  moment  to  the  end  of  time,  was  provided  for  by 
laws  of  ordinary  nature.     But  we  hold  it  to  be  no  arro- 
gance to  say  of  any  man,  though  the  lowest  of  his 
kind,  that  he  has  succeeded  to  the  nature  of  the  mirac- 
ulously created  first  man ;  nor  to  say  of  the  herb  of  tJie 
field  that,  tJiough  it  be  but  the  offspring  of  the  little, 
familiar  seed  in  the  ground,  which  sprang  and  grew  by 
an  ordinary  law  and  a  human  planting  and  rearing,  it  is 
nevertheless,  in  all  the  essentials  of  its  nature,  tlie  suc- 
cessor, in  an  unbroken   line  of  descent,  of  the   herb 
which,  on  the  third  day  of  the  world,  sprang  into  ma- 
turity at  the  wonderful  fiat  of  the  Almighty.     I  know 
not  that  the  mai),  or  the  herb,  is  any  the  less  a  man,  or 
an  herb,  or  any  the  less  descended  from  the  miraculous 
beginnings  of  the  creation,  because  the  laws  of  growth 
were  but  ordinary  and  the  intermediate  agency  of  pro- 
duction was  but  lunnan.      And  so  I  know  not  that  a 
minister  of  the   Gos])el   is  any  the  less  a  successor  of 
the  first  Apostles,  because  instead  of  receiving  his  au- 
thority,   like   them,  immediately  from   Christ,    it  has 
come  to  him  by  the  intermediate   communication  of  a 
chain  fastened,   at   its  beginning,   u])on   the  throne  of 
God,  and  })reserved  as  inviolate,  as  the  line  of  the  de- 
scent of  Adam,   or  the  succession  of  seed  time  and  har- 
3 


IS 

vest,  of  day  and  night,  of  summer  and  winter.     1  know 
not  that  this  day  is  not  a  true  day,  and  strictly  a  suc- 
cessor of  that  very  day,  when  first  the  sim  appeared ; 
though  that,  you  know,  was  made  by  tlie  sudden  act  of 
God  suspending  the  sun  in  the  skies,  and  this  arose  by 
the  ordinary  succession  of  tlie  evening  and  the  morning. 
The  beginning  of  every  institution   of  God  must    of 
necessity  be  extraordinary;  its  regular  continuance — 
ordinary.     So  with  the  course  of  Providence  in  a:ll  its 
branches.     What  is  now  an"  ordinary  Providence,  was 
once  an  extraordinary.     What  began  with  miracle,  is 
continued  by  laws  of  familiar  nature.     And  so  is  it  with 
the  niinistry  of  the  Gospel.     What  was  created  by  the 
direct  ordination  of  God,  is  propagated  and  continued 
by  the  authorised  ordination  of  men.     Its  '■^ seed  is  in 
itself,  after  its  klnd^^  and  at  every  step  of  the  success- 
ion it  is  precisely  the  same  ministry  and  just  as  much 
of  God,  sanctioned  by  his  authority  and  sustained  by 
his  power,  as  if  it  had  been  received  from  the  laying 
of  the  hands  of  Christ  himself.     And  so  wdth  the  office 
of  the  Apostles.      It  was  the  promise  of  Christ,  the 
Lord,  that  it  should  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
It  is  not  more  sure  that  sun  and  moon,  seed  time  and 
harvest  will  continue  to  the   end  of  the  world;  and 
though  its  succession  be  now  in  the  hands  of  very  fee- 
ble and  fallible  men ;  of  men   unspe:u:ably  inferior  to 
the  Apostles  in  every  personal  and  official  qualification ; 
yea,  though  many  Iscariots  be  found  under  its  awful 
responsibilities,  the  integrity  of  tlie  office,  as  essentially 
identical  with   that  of    the  Apostles,    is   in   no  wise 
affected. 

That  the  office  of  the  Apostles  did  descend  from 
them  to  successors  ;  that  it  was  communicated  to  oth- 
ers, by  the  hands  of  those  who  received  it  from  the 
Lord,  is  manifest.  For  not  to  mention  Matthias  and 
Barnabas,  who  were  apostles,*  we  find  Tim.othy,  who 

*  Acts  xiv.  14. 


19 

was  oiclaiiietl  by  St.  Paul,*  not  only  called  an  Apo.itle^ 
by  tiiat  writer,  as  he  is  called  Bishop  by  writers  of  the 
next  century,  but  actually  charged  by  St.  Paul  with 
the  exercise  of  all  the  authority  we  have  mentioned  as 
contained  in  the  Apostolic  commission.  The  first 
epistle  to  Timothy  is  the  plainest  evidence  that  he  was 
put  in  trust  with  the  government  of  the  Church  of 
KphesiLs;  which  at  that  time,  as  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles declare,!  contn'mcd  a  phnriiih/  of  Prcshi/fcrs  ;  that 
over  those  Pn.shi/tcrSy  as  ^^ ell  as  over  the  Deacons,  and 
laity,  he  was  invested  with  the  personal  charge  of  dis- 
cipline and  government;  and  that,  in  discharging  such 
government,  the  authorit//  to  orda'ui  was  distinctly  in 
his  single  hands. t  The  same  is  evident  concerning 
Titus,  from  the  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  him.  It  was  his 
charge  from  St.  Paul  to  "set  in  order"  all  the  churches 
of  the  large  island  of  Crete,  and  "ordain  Presbyters  in 
every  city."  Thus  we  see  the  office  of  the  Apostles 
handed  down  by  a  succession  of  hands  to  one  of  the 
latest  dates  of  which  the  scriptures  speak.  It  certainly 
continued  in  the  world  as  long  as  the  life  time  of  the 
Apostle  St.  John ;  and  he  lived  to  the  hundredth  year 
of  the  Christiaai  era.  Did  it  continue  any  longer  than 
that  hundredth  year? 

We  ask  wlio  were  those  '■'■  Angels'^  or  messengers  ot 
the  seven  Churches  of  Asia,  to  whom  the  seven  Epis- 
tles of  the  book  of  Revelation  were  addressed;  called 
also  ^' the  seven  stars  '  in  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord; 
held  responsible  for  the  whole  C'hurch  embraced  within 
the  limits  of  those  several  extensive  cities,  with   their 

•  2  Tiinotliy,  i.  (3.  t  1  Timothy,  i.  3 ;  Acts,  xx   1',  Sec. 

X  »ee  especially  cliiip.  iii.  ;  and  W.  17,  19,  2-i.  It  is  of  no  force  l<»  fay  tliat 
theTresbyters  of  Kphnsug  and  of  Crete,  are  called  in  Ihe  Epistles  to  1  iinolhy, 
and  Titus,  Dhhops.  Of  this  wo  lia\c  no  doubt.  TI'-iC  was  not  n  spirijir  name 
of  office,  till  after  the  Apostolic  a-je.  The  hi!,'hest  tank  of  the  ministry  had  then 
the  title  of  Apostle.  AVe  ;fo  by  «//(«,  more  than  H«/He.  That  Timothy  and  I  i- 
tus  had  the  powers  altribntod  to  the  Apostlcd'  office,  is  granted  on  the  other  side 
of  this  question.  The  plea  is  that  ihcy  were  olliccrs  cxlruordinanj.  But  it  is 
t>nly  a  pica. 


suburban  dependancies?*  Of  one  of  them,  Ephesus, 
we  know  from  Acts,  xx.  I7,  &c.  that  some  forty  years 
before  the  Book  of  Revelations  tvas  ivritteriy  it  had  several 
Presbyters,  and  of  course,  several  congregations. — 
Who  then  was  the  Angel  of  that  church  of  Ephesus  ? 
What  was  his  office  ?  Evidently  it  was  one  of  Presi- 
dency; and  that,  over  clergy,  as  well  as  laity.  The 
most  learned  and  noted  non-episcopal|writers  contend 
that  it  was  the  office  of  President  for  life. 

The  learned  Blondel,  whose  authority  on  this  subject 
is  not  excelled  by  that  of  any  non-episcopal  writer, 
contends  that  the  Angels  of  the  seven  churches  were 
^'•exarchs  or  chief  governors,'*  who  we  re  superior  in  of- 
fice to  the  other  clergy  of  those  churches ;  held  their 
places^?*  life^  and  were  so  superior  that  "//ie  acts  of 
the  churchy  whether  cjloricms  or  infamous,  were  imputed 
to  those  exarchs.**  And  this,  he  says,  is  necessary  to 
Toe  maintained,  otherwise  the  difficulties  are  insupera- 
ble.t  If  such  was  the  office  of  the  Angel  of  one  of 
the  seven  churches,  it  must  have  been  that  of  the  An- 
gels of  all  the  others ;  and  as  we  have  no  [reason  to 
suppose  that  the  government  of  those  seven  churches 
was  not  similar  to  that  of  all  others,  such  must  have 
be^n  the  office  of  the  chief  ministers  of  the  whole 
Christian  community,  in  the  latter  days  of  the  Apostle 
St.  John,  This  leaves  us  but  little  to  contend  for.  But 
it  is  not  disputed  that  to  those  Angels  was  appropriated, 
during  tlieir  life-time,  the  title  of  Bishops,  as  a  distinc- 
tive title  of  their  special  office.  Ignatius,  Bishop  of 
Antioch,  who  personally  knew  and  conversed  with  St. 
John,  writing  to  the  church  of  Ephesus,  not  more  than 

*  Ephesus,  Smyrna,  Pergamos,  Laodicea  were,  according  to  Pliny,  KK^nXai 
dioiKruTioji,  Uads  oj  iho.  diocese,  in  regard  to  secular  jurisdiction.  The  Church  of 
tphesus  embraced  what  Ephesus,  in  the  cnmmon  languairc  of  that  day,  was 
known  to  enibrace,  viz.  the  city  proper  and  the  '' reaio  suburhicaria,"  the  sub- 
urban and  dependant  villages  :  precisely  as  when  we  now  speak  in  cornmoa 
phraze  of  London,  we  include  all  the  connected  villages  of  Cainberwell,  Peckhani, 
Hackney,  &c.  &c. 

t  Blondel' s  Apology.  Blondel  wrote  this  work  at  the  earnest  request  of  the 
Westminster  Assen>bly  of  Divines.  Such  an  acknowledgment,  therefore,  is 
01  no  common  value. 


$1 

twelve  years  after  St.  John  luul  addressed  tlie  Angel  of" 
that  eliurch,  in  the  book  of  Revelations,  expressly  says 
that  Onesimus  was  then  its  Bishop.**     "  W/io  (he  says) 
according  to  the  Jlesh  is  your  BishopJ'^  So  that  not  only 
did  the   essential  jursldoici/,   but   the    luoiie  also,    of 
Bishop  belong  to  the  ehief  officers  in  the  church  of  that 
early  period.     It  is  beyond  question  that  the  Fathers 
regarded  those   Angels   of  churches  as    having   been 
dioc€S(ni  Bishops.*      IrenaiHis,   Bishop  of  Lyons,  who 
wrote  about  the  year   I78,  speaking  of  Polycarp,  his 
own  teacher  and  a  disciple  of  St.  John,  and  certainly 
the  Angel  of  the  church  of  Smyrna,  calls  him  Bishop 
of  that  church;  and  that  he  used  the  title  as  designa- 
ting .a  Bishop  hi  the  strict  sense^  is  manifest  from  tlie 
fact  that,  by  almost  universal  consent,  diocesan  Epis- 
copacy, in  the  strict  sense,  was  general  in    the  time 
when  he  wrote.     And  could  Irenai^us   be  mistaken  as 
to  tlie  office  of  Polycarp,  whose  disciple  he  was? 

But  that  these  Presidents  for  Life,  entitled  Angels 
of  churches,  in  the  scriptures,  and  Bishops,  by  contem- 
poraneous ecclesiastical  writers,  who  dwelt  in  the  midst 
of  diocesan  Episco])acy,  were  regarded  as  successors 
of  the  Apostles  by  the  Christian  ministry  of  their  own 
age,  we  have  the  plainest  and  most  unquestionable  ev- 
idence. Irenaeus,  we  have  said,  was  a  disciple  of 
Polycarp,  who  was  tlie  Angel  and  Bishoj)  of  the  church 
of  Smyrna,  and  a  personal  disciple  of  St.  John.  Thus 
was  IrenuL'us  too  near  the  Apostles  to  be  mistaken  as  to 
their  successors.  "We  can  enumerate  (he  says)  those 
who  were  a})pointed  by  the  Apostles,  Bishops  in  the 
churches,  and  to  be  their  successors  even  unto  us, — 
leaving  them  the  same  power  aiul  autltority  which 
thcji  had:'\ 

This  same   ])rimitive  writer  has  left  on   record  the 
succession  of  those  wlio  had  been  bishops  of  the  church 

"  As  Ireiixnis,  Clement  of  Alexandria,  Tcrtullian,   Euwcbius,  «.Vc. 
t  Adccrs.  Ihcna.  lib.  iii.,  c.  o. 


of  Rome  down  to  his  time  of  writing,  viz.  about  sevens- 
ty-eight  years  from  St.  John.  The  first  named  is  Linusj 
the  hist,  whom  he  calls  *'^/(e  twelfth  in  order  from  the 
Apostles,  is  Eleutherius.*  He  calls  both  by  the  same 
name  of  Bishop,  without  the  least  indication  that  the  of- 
fice of  the  one  whom  Paul  instltided,  was  in  the  least 
dissimilar  from  that  of  the  other,  who  was  twelfth  in  the 
descent.  Now  it  is  generally  granted  that  the  office  of 
the  latter  was  that  of  a  diocesan  Bishop,  in  the  present,, 
customary  sense.  What  then  are  we  obliged  to  infer 
as  to  the  office  of  the  former ;  and  consequently  as  to 
the  nature  of  the  office  received  by  the  primitive 
churches  from  the  hands  of  the  Apostles? 

We  might  exceedingly  multiply  quotations  to  the 
same  effect.  But  it  is  sufficiently  shown  that  in  the  age 
next  succeeding  that  of  the  Apostles,  there  were  offi- 
cers called  Bishops  in  the  church,  who  were  considered 
then  as  successors  of  the  Apostles,  and  as  having  received 
from  them  the  same  power  ami  aitthoriti/  that  they  had. 
And  how  those  officers  came  to  have  appropriated  to 
them  exclusively  the  name  of  Bishop,  which  at  first 
was  not  peculiar  to  the  highest  grade  of  the  ministry, 
instead  of  the  older  name  of  Apostles,  Theodoret,  rt 
Christian  writer,  who  flourished  only  about  two  hun- 
dred years  after  those  times,  informs  us.  "Those  now 
called  Bishops  (he  says)  were  anciently  called  Apostles. 
But  in  process  of  time,  the  name  of  Apostle  was  left 
to  them  who  were  truly  Apostles,  and  the  name  of 
bishop  was  restrained  to  those  who  were  anciently  called 
Apostles."     Thus  we  learn  that  a  special  reverence  for 

•*  "The  Apostles  having  founded  the  church  of  Rome,  (siys  Irenoeus,)  com- 
mitted the  Bisliopric  to  Linus.  Of  this  Linus,  Paul  maiteth  mention  in  his 
epistles  to  Timothy.  To  liim  succeeded  Anacletus  :  after  him  and  in  the  third 
place  from  the  Apostles,  the  Bishopric  devolved  upon  Clemens,  who  also  had 
seen  tlie  Apostles  and  conferred  with  them.  This  Clemens  was  succeeded  by 
Euarostus,  and  Euarestus  by  Alexander.  Afterwards  Xyslus,  the  Gth  from  tlie 
Apostles  was  constituted  bishop,  and  next  Telesiphorus,  wlio  afterwards  glori- 
fied God  by  martyrdom.  Tiien  followed  Uyginus,  and  after  him  Pius,  whose 
successor  was  Anicetus,  who  was  Ibllowud  by  Soter,  and  now  this  station  is 
Riled  by  Eleutherius,  twelfth  in  order  from  the  Apostks." 


95 

the  first  Apostles,  was  the  cause  of  the  Icavmg  of  that 
name  to  them,  and  calhng  then-  successors  by  another. 
I   cannot  take  time  to  proceed  any  furtlier  with   a 
quotation  of  testimony.     We  liave  found  tlie  promise 
of  tlie  Saviour  as  to  the  continuance  of  the  Apostohc 
oflice,   eN'idently  fulfilled  in  the  age  next  to  that  of  the 
last  of  the  Apostles.    The  facility  of  proving  the  same  of 
subsequent  periods,  rapidly  increases  as  we  descend  the 
enlarging  tide  of   Christian  men  and  things  ;*   till  we 
come  to  the  period  of  only  one  luuulred  and  fifty  years 
from  the  death  of  St.  John,  (the  age  of  Cyprian,   Bish- 
of  Carthage,)  when  non-episcopal  writers,  who  concede 
the  least,    acknowledge    that  the    church,   without   a 
known  exception,  was  presided  over  by  diocesan  Bi- 
shops,  who  exercised  the  prerogatives,  and  were  then 
considered,  without  a  question,  to  have  succeeded  to 
the  full  office  of  the  Apostles.     Whether  it  be  left  for 
the  nineteenth  century,  to  correct  the  universal  belief 
of  the  church,  in  an   age  so  soon  after  the  last  of  the 
twelve   Apostles,  on  a  matter  of  plain  historical  tradi- 
tion,  concerning  which   it   is   quite  unintelligible  that 
the   learned  should  then  have  been  ignorant,   I   must 
leave  others  to  decide. 

We  shall  conclude  our  remarks  on  the  question 
whether  an  office  such  as  that  of  the  Apostles  has  been 
in  the  church  since  the  Apostles'  times,  with  but  one 
more  aspect  of  the  matter.  It  is  notorious  that  at  tliis 
present  day,  about  eleven-twelfths  of  those  called 
Christians  in  the  world,  are  under  the  spiritual  juris- 
diction of  an  order  of  ministers,  called  Bisho})s,  whose 
indi\idual  oflice  embraces  the  essential  particulars  of 
that  of  the  Apostles,  and  whose  succession  they  regard 
as  derived  by  an  unbroken  chain  from  Apostolic  times. 

Torlullinn  of  tlic  2d  century,  in  answer  to  certain  heretics,  writes:  "  lyCt 
them  recir,:  Mijir  Bisliops,  one  by  one,  each  in  such  sort  succeeding  other,  that 
the  first  iJishop  of  them  have  liad  forhis  a'.ithor  and  predecessor  some  Apostle,  or 
at  least  soiue  apo^^toiic  person,  who  ])crsovered  -.villi  t!;.-'  A-j>';  ■'!"'s.  For  ao  apo?- 
tolical  churches  are  wont  to  bring  forth  the  cvid.iice  of  tlioir  estates.  So  doth 
thechnrch  of  Smyrna,  liaving  Polycarp,  whom  John  did  consecrate," 


24 

It  is  quite  notorious  tliat,  from  the  sixteenth  century, 
up  to  within  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  tlic  last 
of  the  Apostles,  the  whole  church,  in   all  lands,  was 
under  such  jurisdiction.     We  go  higher,  and  say  that 
the  most  eminent  non-episcopal  writers  acknowledge, 
that  within  sixty  years  of  the  death  of  St.  John,  such 
was  the   government  of  the   church.*      And,  within 
this  short  period,  we  have  shown  you  the  testimony  of 
writers  who  then   lived,  asserting  that    Bishops  were 
then  exercising  the  jurisdiction  of  the  churches,  and 
were  considered,  without  the  moving  of  a  question,  as 
having  succeeded  to  the  office  of  the  Apostles.     Now 
suppose  this  were  a  mere  mistake.     Then   the  mistake 
must  have  arisen  ivlthm   the  life-time  of  men  who  had 
conversed  ivith  the  contemporaries  of  the  Apostles  ;  for 
after  their  death  it  was  in  full  operation ;    and  this,  a 
mistake,  not  concerning  a  trivial  circumstance  of  the 
church,  but  a  main  and  fundamental  feature  in  its  con- 
stitution, government  and  discipline;  and  this  immense- 
ly important  mistake  must  have  spread  so  rapidly  and 
powerfully,  as  to  have  revolutionized  the  government 
of  the  church  of  all  lands,  in  the  course  of  some  sixty 
years  after  the  death  of  St.  John — and  so  silently,  that 
history  has  preserved  not  the  slightest  trace  of  its   be- 
ginning and  progress — and  so  perfectly  and  universally, 
that   though    tlie  scriptures  were    daily  read   in    the 
churches,  and   Presbyters  and  laity  were  made  of  the 
same  materials  as  they  are   now,  none  perceived  the 
usurpation;    but  all    took   it   for   granted,  without   a 
question,  that   such   had  been   the  government  of  the 

*  B^owfZe^acknowleJges  tliat  episcopacy  was  intro  'uced  before  Tertullian  wrote 
his  work  on  Baptism,  whicli  he  dates  A.  D.  197.  He  thinks  the  change  was 
made  at  Jerusalem  about  13')  or  6  ;  at  Alexandria  about  143  ;  at  Rome  about  140. 
In  the  Appendix  to  the  work  on  the  ministry,  issued  by  tlie  Presbyterian  Provin- 
cial Assembly  of  London,  in  1G54,  we  read  thus  ;  "Dr.  Blondel.  a  man  of  great 
learning  and  reading,  undertakes  in  a  large  discourse,  to  make  out  that  before  the 
year  140,  there  was^not  a  Bishop  s-^t  over  Presbyters  ;  to  whose  elaborate  writings 
we  refer  the  reader  for  further  satisfaction  in  this  particular."  We  might  say, 
then,  that  leading  non-episcopal  writers  virtually  acknowledge  the  introduction 
of  episcopacy,  as  early  as  forfij  yenrs  afiev  St.  John.  Sixty  will  answer  our 
purpose. 


25 

church  from  tlio  beii^iniiing,  and  was  to  be,   to  the  end 
of  tlie  world  ;  and  this  mistake  so  pcrmrtnnnfy  that  witli- 
outa  dream  of  its  beini;;  else  than  the  most  unquestion- 
able   trutli,     it   continued    till    the  sixteenth    century 
entirely  unsuspected.      Now,  if  we  can  believe  this, 
what  vital  mistakes  may  we  not  suppose  to  have  been 
made,  just  as  easily,  and  just  as  silently,   in  other  great 
interests  of  Christianity?      If  the  whole  church,  so  near 
its  first  ages,  was  caj)able  of  such  an  egregious  blunder, 
in  a  plain   matter  of  fact  and   of  daily  observation;   if 
the  whole  form  and  principle  of  her  primitive  govern- 
ment could  be  so  silently,  and  suddenly,  and   univer- 
sally subverted,  and  the  very  opposite  be  so  silently, 
and  suddenly,  and  universally  inaugurated  in  its  stead, 
as  that  no  one  was  conscious  of  the  ju'ocess  of  cliange; 
and  no  part  of  the  Christian  community,  even  in  the 
most  distant  regions,  continued  as  they  had  been  origi- 
nally constituted ;  and  none  rose  up  to  vindicate  the 
claims  of  the  primitive  government  as  abandoned,  and 
to  complain  of  its  intrusive  substitute:  if  sucli  a  com- 
plete revolution  can  be  belie\'ed  to  have  taken  place  in 
the  Priesthood  of  the  Christian  Tem])le,  and  so  secret- 
ly, that  neither  friend  nor  foe,  advocate  nor  com])lain- 
ant,  heathen,   heretic  nor  Jew  is  known  to  have  obser- 
ved it;  what  change  may  not  as  well  be  supposed  to 
liave  occurred,  quite  as  easily,  quite  as   silently,  and 
quite  as  unobserved,  in  the  precious  oracles,  the  Books 
of  Holy   Scripture,    de})osited    in   that   Tem})le,    and 
specially  entrusted   to  the  guardianship  of  that  Priest- 
hood?    I  know  not  that  it  is  any  easier  to  revolution- 
ize, uimoticed,  the  whole  form  and  character  of  a  jrov- 
ernment,  than  it  is  to  change,  unnoticed,  its  very  statute 
books.     If  the  former  has  been  done;  how  do  we  know 
that  the  latter  has  not  been  also?     We  know  it  lias  not, 
by  the  testimony,  unbroken,  of  the  church,  from  cen- 
tury to  century.      But  why  is   not  that  testimony  as 
valid  in  one  case  as  the  other?     Why  not  believe  it, 

4 


as  well  when  it  proves  the  unbroken   descent  of  the 
Apostolic  office,  as  when  it  witnesses  to  the  canonical 
books  of  holy  Scripture?     Hom^  can  we  suspect  the  Fa- 
tliers  of  the  cliurcli,  when  tliey  testify  of  the  former; 
witliout  rendering  their  testimony  suspicious,  when  they 
speak  of  the  latter  ;  yea,  without  casting  entire  doubt- 
fulness  into  the  whole  region   of  historic  testimony? 
The  care  of  the  churcli  to  preserve  the  Scriptures  invi- 
olate, is  no  more  manifest  in  the  history  of  Christianity, 
than  her  watcliful  care,  in  all  ages  and  countries,  and 
now,  even  among  the  long  wasted  and  oppressed  Chris- 
tians   of    oriental    nations,    to   guard  the   descent   of 
the  apostolic  office.     This  unsleeping  watch  over  the 
preservation  in  each  diocese,  of  an  original,  indepen- 
dant  Episcopacy,  wanting  and  allowing  no   common 
and   infallible    Head,    but  "  the   chief  Shepherd  and 
Bishop  of  souls,"    '•'■who  is  God  overfall-'''  has  been 
the  chief  barrier  that  has  prevented,  in   the  ancient 
chiu'ches  of  the  East  and  elsewhere,  the  entire  ascend- 
ancy of  the  Papal  usurpation.     As  the  system  of  our 
several  state  governments,  united  in  one  civil  confede- 
racy, each  having  its  own  chief  governor,  is  the  real 
protection  of  our  liberties,  and  of  our  union,  against  the 
entire  consolidation  of  the  whole  nation    into  one   ex- 
elusive  jurisdiction,  under  one  supreme  Ruler,  and  he 
mounting  the  higher  in  power,  as  his  footing  should 
become  the  more   consolidated    and  extended,  till  at 
last  such  an  expedient  for  more  unity ^  proves  itself  the 
very  fountain-head  of  tlie  wildest  and  most  destructive 
divisions  : — so  have  been  the  several  diocesan  govei'n- 
ments    of  the    universal    church;    each  with   its  own 
spiritual  head;  each  a  government  within  itself,  thougli 
in  harmonious  confederacy  v/ith  others  ;  each  watching 
with  sacred  care  tlie  \alid  descent  of  its   Episcopate, 
from  the  only  source  of  all   spiritual  authority;   so  has 
been  always  tiiis  primitive  constitution  of  the  churchy 
where  it  has  been  flnthfuUy  maintained,,  not  only   the 


'27 

Nviscst  and  strongest  *i)rotccti()n  of  Ikt  unity,  but 
every  where,  in  proportion  as  it  lias  been  jealously 
guarded,  has  it  held  up  the  ensign  ol  stern  and  victo- 
rious resistance  to  the  usurping  claims  of  him,  whom 
the  prophecy  of  the  Scri})tures  describes  as  *^*slttin(j  as 
Oody  in  the  Tcuiph  of  God.,  s/icirinr/  /uufsr/f  that  he 
is  God"*  The  grand  scheme  of  that  singular  Poten- 
tate has  ahyays  been,  while  graciously  permitting  the 
name  and  shew  of  Bishops  and  dioceses,  to  reduce  all 
into  abject  dependance  on  his  own  infallible  will ;  he 
taking  the  })lace,  as  he  calls  himself  the  alone  A'ice- 
gerent,  of  Christ,  the  invisible  Head ;  and  thus  seek- 
ing to  reduce  all  office  and  citizenship  in  the  universal 
cliurch,  into  one  consolidated  mass  of  iniited  confusion. 
It  was  this  boasted  cx]>edient  for  the  greater  unity, 
which  produced,  on  one  part,  the  rev'olt  of  Protestant- 
ism, and  on  all  others,  is  fast  sinking  tlie  mass,  by 
ilead  weight,  as  recently  in  atheistical  France,  into  the 
gulf  of  an  infidel  and  raging  anarchy.  Such  is  the 
scheme  of  Satan,  against  which  the  Protestant  ensign 
of  our  parent  church  was  lifted  up,  and  the  old  dioce- 
ses of  oriental  Christendom,  have  been  for  centuries 
•contending.  This  it  was  that  Isindled  the  })ersecutions 
of  the  Englisii  Reformation,  and  burned  to  death  those 
venerable  Bishops  of  Christ,  Cramnei",  and  Latimer, 
and  Ridley,  and  Hooper;  not  lo  mention  the  many 
confessors  of  lower  place,  but  of  ecpial  faith  and  con- 
stancy. Had  tiiey  oidy  acknowledged  the  suprcmaci/ 
of  the  Po}n\  they  might  have  died  in  their  ])eds.t 

Now,  my  brethren,  before  we  pass  to  the  concluding 
head  of  this  discoiu'se,  let  me  say  that  if  the  subject 
on  which  we  have  been  s])caking  has  seemed  to  you  to 
be  less  practical  and  useful  than  some  that  might  have 
been  appropriately  selected,  we  beg  you  to  bear  in 
mind  that  it  stands  in  the  front  of  our  text,  and  in  the 
iiont  of  the  service  oi"  our  church,  for  the  consecration 

"    -  I'liesE.  ii.  1.  t  Sec  Aiipeiidix. 


2» 

which  you  are  presently  to  witness ;  that  not  only  is  It 
declared  by  our  Lord,  in  the  former  that,  to  the  end  of' 
the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  the  office  of  which  we 
have  been  speaking,  shall  continue  in  the  world;  but 
by  our  church  also,  at  the  commencement  of  her  ordi- 
nation sei'vices,  that^w/i  tlie  heglnning  of  that  dispen- 
sation, such  an  office  has  been  in  the  world;*  and 
consequently,  in  justice  to  the  church,  and  in  justice 
to  the  promise  of  her  great  Head,  and  in  justice  to  our 
own  sense  of  the  importance  of  the  topic,  we  could 
not,  on  such  an  occasion  as  this,  bestow  on  the  sub- 
ject we  have  been  considering  a  less  respectful  atten- 
tion. We  have  talien  good  care,  while  speaking  the 
doctrine  of  our  own  church,  with  all  plainness,  to  avoid 
all  reflections  upon  those  parts  of  protestant  Christen- 
dom, with  which,  on  this  head,  we  are  sorry  to  differ. 
We  speak  now  of  an  aspect  of  our  text,  on  which 
our  affections  lead  us  with  far  more  pleasure  to  dwell. 
The  precious  cncoi^ragement  for  the  ministry ^  contained 
in  the  promise  of  the  Saviour:  **Lo,  I  am  with  you 

ALWAYS,    EVEN  UNTO  THE  WORLD." 

This  promise  is  to  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel,  what 
the  mystic  breast-plate,  with  its  twelve  precious  stones, 
each  representing  a  tribe  of  Israel,  was  to  the  High 
Priest  of  the  Jews,  when  he  stood  as  the  Messenger 
between  the  people  and  the  mercy-seat.  It  is  our 
'■'' Urini  and  TJmmmim ;**  qwx  light  2i\\iS.  perfection.  We 
wear  its  celestial  jewelry  upon  our  breasts  as  Ministers 
and  Ambassadors  of  God.  Under  its  varied  encour- 
agements, more  precious  than  rubies,  we  go  to  our 
divine  Lord  and  Head  for  counsel  and  strength.  Under 
its  divine  protection,  brighter  and  more  impenetrable 
than  a  shield  of  diamonds,  we  go  against  the  world 
and  the  devil. 

*  "It  is  evident  unto  all  men,  diligently  reading  Holy  Scripture  and  ancient 
authors,  that  from  the  Apostles'  time,  there  have  been  three  orders  of  Ministers^ 
i^  Christ's  church — Bishops,  Priests  and  Deacons." — Pnfacc  to  the  Ordinal. 


'2\) 

To  understand  how  this  promise  must  Iiiivc  sounded 
to  the.  Apostles,  you  must  reeollect  tlie  })eeuliar  nature 
of  the  work  entrusted  to  their  charge.  You  must  con- 
sider that  under  the  commission  to  go,  and  teach,  and 
disci})le,  and  baptize  all  nations,  and  bring  them  into 
subjection  to  the  commands  of  Christ,  was  embraced 
no  less  than  the  charge  to  go  and  be  tlie  instruments  of 
creating  anew  the  moral  and  spiritual  character  of  all 
mankind.  You  are  to  consider  the  dreadfid  chaos  of 
iniquity,  into  which  the  wliole  race  of  man  was  sunk; 
what  darkness  was  on  the  face  of  that  deep;  and  liow 
the  mighty  spirit  of  that  darkness  did  then  move  upon 
the  face  of  that  deep,  glorying  in  the  wreck  of  a  once 
beautiful  creation,  as  his  own  master-piece;  reigning 
with  absolute  sway  in  the  children  of  disobedience, 
and  ever  begetting  new  forms  of  apostacy,  and  forging 
new  fetters  upon  the  minds  of  men.  Oh !  wliat  a  work 
of  infinite  importance  to  break  off  those  fetters;  to 
wrest  the  dominion  of  human  souls  from  that  giant 
Prince  ;  to  new-create  in  an  exiled  and  ruined  race  the 
lost  image  of  the  Creator,  and  so  restore  them  to  liis 
communion  and  his  kingdom. 

But  this,  by  the  ap})ointmcnt  of  infinite  wisdom, 
was  to  be  done  by  hiumni  agents.  The  power  was 
Christ's;  but  means,  in  7/7 wi<7;i  hands  alone,  would  he 
work  by.  The  word  of  God,  by  wliich  light,  in  the 
beginning,  was  made  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  was  to 
be  tlie  great  ordinance,  for  the  restoration  of  man  to 
the  light  of  lite,  and  whatever  else  had  been  lost  by 
tlie  fall.  But  the  stewardship  of  that  word,  was  to  be 
connnitted,  not  to  a  ministry  of  angels,  but  of  weak 
and  sinful  men.  It  is  as  much  the  economy  of  this 
new  creation,  that  tlie  light  of  life,  and  all  order,  and 
beauty,  and  blessing  of  holiness  shall  not  spread  over 
the  earth,  without  the  agency  and  continued  activity 
of  an  instituted  and  permanent  ministry  of  mtn;  as  it 
was  of  the  first  creation,   that  there  should  be  no  regu- 


,■50 

lar  i)rocess  of  day  and  night,  of  summer  and  winter, 
without  a  permanent  ministry  of  sun  and  stars.     But 
when  the  Apostles  contemplated  such  an  infinite  task, 
such  an   overwhelming  trust,  such  frightening  respon- 
sibility, such  enemies  to  vanquish,  such  sufferings  to 
endure,    such   dangers  to   brave,    such    mountains  to 
level,  how  must  they  have  been  ready  to  exclaim — who 
are  we  that  we  should  thus  go  against  a  world,  and  do 
all  this  great  work?     So  said  Moses,  when  his  work 
was  far  less.     And  the  divine  Lord  and  Head  of  that 
dispensation  answered  him:   ^^  Certainhj  I  will  be  with 
thee.''^     The  same  were  His  words  at  the  beaiinning:  of 
the  next  and  the  more  mighty  dispensation.     All  the 
rising  fears  of  the   Apostles  were  hushed  wdien  they 
heard — "Xo,  /  am  with  you  always ^  even  loito  the  end  of 
the  ivorld.'*    It  was  enough.    They  tarried  in  Jerusalem, 
till  the  promised  Spirit  had  descended,  by  whose  continu- 
ed agency  their  departed  Lord  had  told  them  he  would 
make  his  presence  known  to  their  hearts,  and  felt  in 
the  power  of  their  ministry.     Then  did  they  *' receive 
power  from  on  high  ;  and  then  wdth  new  eyes  did  they 
read  again   the  promise  of  the  Lord.     *'Yes;"  must 
their  triumphant  spirits  have  exclaimed,  *'the  Lord  has 
gone  out  of  our  sight,  but  we   are  never  out  of  his. 
The  church  sees  him  no  more,  but  his  eye  is  continually 
upon  the  church.     He  went,  that  he  might  sit  at  the 
right  hand  of  pow^er,  and  be  head  over  all  things  to 
his  people;  and  reign  till  lie  liath  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet.      Thence  he  continually  speaks   to  us:   *A11 
pow^er  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in   earth.     Ye 
are  my  ambassadors.     Ye  speak  in  my  stead.     I  speak 
by  you.     Fear  not.     Ye  are  w^eak — I  am  mighty.     I 
-will  be  glorified  in  enabling  you  to  do  all  things  through 
my  grace  which  strengtheneth  you.     Hated  of  all  men 
for  my  sake  shall  ye  be;    brought  before  rulers  and 
kings,  and  betrayed  by  kinsfolk  and  friends.     Opposed 
by  all  the  combined  powers  of  human  wickedness — but 


I  am  witli  yoii.       The  liosts  of  hell,  lea£;'ued  vitli  all 
the  wicked  and   )iiii!;hty  anion!;'  men,   will  Ht;'ht  against 
your  cause,  and  heap  on  you  tUsorace,  and  misery,  and 
death.     But  I  am  witli  you,  and  none  of  these  thin«;s 
shall  lunt  you.      I  am  witli  you  in   the  wilderness  and 
tjie  city,   in  the   calm  and  the  storm  and  the  furnace, 
in  hunger  and  thirst  and  nakedness.     1  will  make  your 
nerves  brass,  and  your  shoes  iron.     What  you  plant,  1 
will  rear.     What  you  seal,  I  will  execute.     Your  words 
shall  be  my  words.     When  ye  preach  the  word,    I  will 
add  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power.     Yc» 
are  indeed  but  earthen  vessels.     But  therefore  have  I 
chosen  you,  in  the  furnace  of  iron,  to  receive  my  hid 
treasures  of  grace,  and  scatter  them  over  the  world, 
that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may,  in  the  sight  ot 
all  the  world,  be  the  more  evidently  of  me.' " — They 
went  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,   "strong  in  the  power 
of  his  might."     And  this,  brethren,  is  the   whole  ac- 
count of  the  wonderfully  ra])id  and  trium})hant  ])ropa- 
gation  of  the  gospel.      **  Kings  of  the   earth  did  set 
themselves,    and  the  rulers  took  counsel   against  the 
Lord  and  against  his  Anointed."      Hell  opened  wide 
its  gates,  and  poured  out  its  legions  and  floods  against 
the  Apostles  and  their  helpers  and  successors.      But 
the  work  of  new-creation  went  on,  like  the   progTcss 
of  *'the  morning  light,  which  shinetli  more  and   more 
towards  the  perfect  day."     The  image  of  God  was  re- 
newed   in    millions,   who   became  **new    creatures   in 
Christ  Jesus;" — and  the  only  e\})lanation  of  the  great 
wonder  was,  not  in  the  feeble  Apostles  and  their  feeble 
helpers,  or  any  thing  visible;  but  in  the  promise  of  the 
"Lord  (lod  Onniijmtent" — '■'■  I  am  wifh  j/on  ahcaj/s." 

Nothing  but  the  faithfulness  of  the  Lord  to  thi.'i 
promise,  accounts  for  the  subsequent  propagation  of 
vital  and  holy  Christianity,  in  one  single  inch  of  its 
progress.  Nothing  else  accounts  for  the  })reservatiou 
of  the   churcli,    and   of  the   unbroken   succession   of  a 


faithful  ministry  to  the  present  time.      Wherever  his 
ambassadors   have  kept  to  tlieir  instructions  and  been 
faithfid  to  tlieir  commission,  Christ  lias  stood  at  their 
right  hand,  and  they,  by  his  grace  strengthening  them, 
have  kept  the  guard  of  the  church,  fought  her  battles, 
and  died  at   her  standards.      How  beautifully  is  this 
exhibited,  for  the  assurance  of  all  generations,  in  that 
chapter  of  the  Book  of  Revelation,  where  St.  John 
describes  his  vision  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  appearing  in 
glory;  arrayed  in  splendid  vestments,  as  High  Priest 
of  his  church ;  continually  ministering  to  its  flocks  and 
Pastors.*     He  was  seen   *'m  f/ie  7mdst  of  the  seven  gol- 
den candlesticks** — which  he  himself  then  interpreted  as 
emblems  of  the  clmrches.      But  candlesticks,  though 
of  the  most  fine  gold,  have  in  themselves  no   light. 
How  then  do  the  churches,  signified  by  them,  shine  as 
lights?   '"I  saw,    (saith  St.  John)  and  he  had  in  his 
right  hand  seven  stars,  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a 
two-edged  sword,  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength."     And  what  were  those  stars  ? 
The  Lord  interpreted — "  The  seven  stars  are  the  angels 
of  the  seven  churches."     Now  we  understand !     While 
the  candlesticks  represent  the  churches,  the  stars  are 
the  ministrg  of  the  churches,  set  up  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  the  firmament  of  this  new  creation.     The  day  is  not 
yet ;  because  the  second  advent  of  Christ  is  not  yet. 
It  is  a  star-light  morning  still.    The  church  is  enlighten- 
ed, indeed,  from  the  face  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness, 
and  by  the  word  of  life  which  proceedeth  out  of  his 
mouth ;  but,  as  yet,  by  the  sun  beyond  the  veil,  through 
an  intermediate  agency  of  ministering  servants.      He 
holdeth  them  in  his  right   hand,  as  the  sun  holds  the 
planets  in  their  orbits.     Dark  in  themselves,  they  shine 
upon  the  church,  only  as  he  sliines  upon  them  and  as 
they  obey  his  commandments.     Once  out  of  the  circle 
of  liis  light  and  attraction,  they  become  but  as  dross 

*  Rev.  i.  12-20. 


3.'3 

and  tilt.  And  it  is  just  because  he  tluis  holds  his  min- 
istry in  his  right  liand,  while  lie  walks  invisibly  anioiifr 
the  churches,  shining  upon  these,  througli  them,  tliat 
the  liglit  of  the  gospel  lias  not  been,  and  cannot  be,  ])ut 
out  by  the  devices  of  Satan.  Its  "life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  (rod,"  so  that  the  gates  of  hell  can  never  ])re- 
vail  against  his  chu.rch,  however  tliey  may  be  sometimes 
permitted  to  drive  her  into  the  wilderness,  and  compel 
Iier  witnesses  to  prophecy  in  sackcloth. 

Now,  brethren,   it  is  under  the  light  of  that  vision 
of  8t.  John,   tliat  the  ministry  holds  its  orbit  and  trims 
its  light,  to-day,  as  well  as   in   the  beginning  of  the 
gospel.     If  the  office  of  the  present  chief-ministers  be 
the  same  essentially  as  that  of  the  Apostles,  so  is  their 
fallen  and  helpless  nature  essentially  the  same.     Nor  is 
the  promise  of  the   Lord  to  be  with  them  any  the  less 
certain ;  nor  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  to  uphold  them 
any  the  less  mighty;   nor  his  countenance  any  the  less 
glorious   sun  to   shine   upon  them,  and   through  them 
upon  the   churches.     Time  has  wrouglit  no  change  in 
the  relations  of  Christ  to  his  church.     He  has  gone  no 
further  away  from   her  necessities.      Still  sittetli  he  on 
the  throne,  head  over  all  things  to  his  people.     Still  is 
he  the  Pastor  of  the  Hock;  the  Head  of  the  household; 
walking,  as   Chief  Shepherd  and   Bishop  of  souls,  in 
the  midst  of  the  churches,  Jiolding  up  his  intermediate 
ministry,    so  that  none  shall  pluck  them  out  of  his 
hand.     Times   have  changed,   indeed,  since   the  days 
of  the  Apostles;  but  no  change  has  tiiken  })lace  in  the 
absolute  dependance  of  the  ministry  upon  such  conso- 
lation as  this.     Still  is  the  world  a  most  wicked  world  ; 
still  does  a  grievous  night  oppress  and  a  horrible  chaos 
reign  over  an  immense  portion  of  the  globe.     Still  is  it 
the  command,   '■'■  Go  and  discipk  all  nations ;''  and,  as 
much  as  ever,  must  that  conversion  be  wrought  in  any 
corner  of  the  earth,  as  well  as  all  over  ti'e  earth,   only 
by  the  word  of  (Jod,  prrtirhrd  hi/  turn.     And  oh!  how 


54 

far  has  tliat  mighty  change   to  be  advanced,  ere  tlie 
ministry  can  surrender  back  its  connnission  to  him  who 
gave  it,  and  that  Sabbath  begin,  when  the  secondary 
Hghts  shall  vanish  because  of  tiie  perfect  day,  and  the 
Lord  Christ  shall  minister  alone,  and  every  eye  shall 
see  him.     Meanwhile,  as  that  day  of  final  and  perfect 
victory  over  the    kingdom   of  darkness   draweth  nigh, 
the   devices  of  Satan  increase,    and   the  rage  of  the 
lion,  soon  to  be  spoiled  of  his  prey,  becomes  the  more 
furious.       "Wo  to  tlie  inhabiters  of  the  earth   and  of 
the  sea."  (saith  the  Spirit,)  "for  the  devil  is  come  down 
unto  you,  having  great  vvTath ;  because  he  know^eth 
that  he  hath  but  a  sliort  time."*     We  expect  the  con- 
flict to  thicken,  as  the   enemy  grows  more  desperate. 
We  expect  infidelity  to  spread,  and  self-called  neutrals 
to  fall  into  its  ranks,  as  Satan  becomes  more  furious, 
and   recruits  to  his  host   are  more  needed.     We  look 
that  the  ready-made  infidel  will  declaim  the  more  boldly, 
and    boast    himself  more    fiercely,    against    the  Lord, 
as  the  time  of  his  King  is  brief,  and  the  subjects  mu.st 
be  up  and  doing.     But  so  much   the  more  call  upon 
the  ministry  of  Christ ;  so  much  the  more  to  alarm 
them  of  little  faith ;  so  much  the  more  fearful  respon- 
sibility upon  those,  w^ho,  having  succeeded  to   the  pe- 
culiar stewardship  of  the  Apostles,  have  also  succeeded 
to  the  duty  of  special  devotedness,  and  labour,  and 
sacrifice,  and  courage,  and  patience,  and  faith.     Jesus 
gave  them  their  special  lesson,  Avhen  he  washed  the 
Apostles'  feet.     He  meant,  by  that  symbolic  act,  that 
as  they  were  the   chief  in   office,  so,  like  their  Lord, 
were  they  required  to  be  chief  in  readiness  for  the  most 
humble  services  and  the  heaviest  crosses,  in  bringing 
the  souls  of  sinful  men  to  that  heavenly  washing,  with- 
out which  they  caii  have  no  part  in  him.     It  is  laid  upon 
them  as  the  price  and  privilege  of  their  special  commis- 
sion, to  be  ready  to  perform  the  greatest  labour,  take 

*  Rev.  xii.  12. 


35 

the  widest  circuits,  encounter  the  severest  liarcLships, 
nuikc  the  most  painful  sacrifices  of  the  sweets  of  home 
and  family;  be  the  chief  Missionaries;  and,  like  the 
work  to  which  tiiis  our  dear  brother  is  now  called, 
be  pioneers  of  tiie  church,  searching-  the  wilderness, 
boring  into  the  (piarry,  di\  ing  into  the  chaos  for  ma- 
terials with  which  to  build  uj)  the  living  temple  of 
Christ.  Such,  literally,  were  Bishops  of  the  first  cen- 
turies. When  persecutions  arose,  the  first  mark  of  the 
archer  was  the  head-shepherd  of  the  fold.  M'hen  the 
Lord  demanded  **  examples  of  suffering  afHiction  and 
of  patience,"  for  the  encouragement  of  the  weak,  it 
was  the  Bishoj)  of  the  church  who  walked  out  to  the 
rack  and  the  stake,  rejoicing  tliat  to  him  it  was  given, 
'*  not  only  to  believe  in  the  name  of  Christ,  but  also  to 
suffer  for  his  sake."  Yea,  for  a  long  time,  in  many 
parts  of  the  church,  the  succession  of  the  office  might 
be  tracked  by  the  crimsoned  footsteps  of  incumbents, 
who  had  followed  Jesus  to  prison  and  to  death.  The 
heraldry  of  this  order  is  blazoned  nobly  in  the  aimals  of 
the  martyrs.  Such  be  the  s})irit  universally  pervading 
it.  It  is  the  only  spirit  that  can  mount  to  the  height 
of  its  duties.  The  time  may  not  be  very  far  distant, 
when  it  shall  be  called  to  rehearse  some  of  its  ancient 
testimonies.  At  any  rate,  such  alone  is  the  spirit  a))- 
propriate  to  its  mission.  Is  it  desirable  that  the  sacred 
anointing  of  a  holy  devotedness  to  Christ  may  flow 
down  the  garments  of  the  church,  to  the  extremities 
of  the  body?  Then  let  us  ])ray  that  it  may  be  j)oured 
out  richly  upon  the  highest  rank  of  the  Priesthood. 
Let  Bisho])s  be  ready  to  be  seen  walking  in  the  furnace 
of  trial,  and  bearing  the  cross  of  hcax'v  duty,  that  the 
congregation  may  be  seen  the  more  faithfully  refusing 
to  bow  the  knee  to  this  world's  idols,  and  making  great 
sacrifices  for  conscience  void  of  offence,  and  for  growth 
in  n-racc. 


36 

Oh!  then,  smce  this  is  our  cuUing,  and  since  our 
appointed  strength  and  consolation  arc  all  embraced  in 
the  Savioia*s  promise ;  liow  vital  to  this  office  is  a  living, 
practical,  simple,  abiding  faith;  the  faith  that  knows 
how  to  embrace  the  promises  and  never  let  them  go ; 
the  faith  that  can  make  them  a  pillow  of  down  in  weari- 
ness, and  a  nerve  of  steel  hi  weakness;  the  faith  that 
can  take  up  this  one  promise  of  Christ,  and  carry  it 
for  a  shield  into  the  battle,  for  a  lamp  into  the  dark- 
ness, for  a  cruse  of  the  unfailing  "oil  of  gladness"  into 
the  desert ;  the  faith  that  can  erect  our  liearts  on  this 
promise,  as  upon  a  rock  in  the  deep,  and  dwell  in  it, 
as  an  ark  in  the  deluge,  and  use  it,  as  a  two-edged 
sword,  against  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil ;  yea, 
the  faith  that  can  walk  through  this  wilderness,   *'as 
seeing  Him  who  is  invisible,"  even  Jesus  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,    ever  confessing,  ever  interceding  for, 
ever  helping  and  comforting,  those  who  put  their  trust 
in  him.     Lorcl^  increase  our  faitJi!     The  greater  victo- 
ries of  the  gospel  wait  for  a  stronger  faith  in  its  ministers. 
Lordf  increase  our  faith !     The  brighter  glory  of  the 
church  waits  for  a  more  vigorous  faith  in  all  her  mem- 
bers.    Lorcl^  increase  our  faith! 

It  is  time  this  discourse  were  closed.  But  you  will 
indulge  me,  brethren,  with  a  moment  to  say  a  few 
words  to  him  whose  consecration  to  the  office  of  Mis_ 
sionary  Bishop  is  now  to  take  place.  You  can  little 
conceive  with  what  a  special  and  most  affectionate  in- 
terest, the  speaker  will  participate  in  this  solemnity. 
A  little  of  it  may  be  explained  by  the  following  brief 
relation. 

It  is  now  nearly  thirteen  years  since  a  very  remarka- 
ble work  of  grace  occurred,  in  the  Military  Academy 
of  the  United  States.  During  a  condition  of  almost 
vmiversal  indifference  to  religion  and  of  wide-spread 
infidelity,  against  which  the  efforts  of  the  ministry  of 
one  man,  set  for  the   defence   of  the  gospel,    seemed 


for  a  long  time  to  make  not,  the  least  way ;  suddenly 
almost,  in  a  very  few  days,  many  minds,  without  com- 
munication with  one  another,  and  without  })ersonal 
intercourse  with  the  Minister,  appeared  dee})ly,  and 
almost  sinuiltaneously  interested  in  the  great  matters 
of  eternal  life.  Officers  as  well  as  cadets  participated 
in  this,  and  to  such  an  extent,  that  the  minister's  study 
was  soon  occupied  every  evening  with  assemblies,  com- 
posed of  both,  for  prayer  and  the  exposition  of  the 
Word  of  (j()d;  and  a  serious  im])ression,  more  or  less 
deep  and  abiding,  was  spread  over  a  large  part  of  the 
whole  military  community.  Several  became  at  that 
period  very  decided  soldiers  of  Christ.  Many  others 
received  impressions  then,  which  God  has  since  ripened 
into  manifest  and  energetic  piety.  Many  more  receiv- 
ed the  seed  of  tlie  word,  in  whom,  though  it  seemed 
to  die,  it  has  since,  under  the  continued  influence  of 
the  Sj)irit,  s})rung  uj)  and  brought  forth  fruit.  Some 
are  still  in  military  life.  Others  have  been,  long  since, 
adorning  the  Christian  profession  in  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel. 

The  very  first  appearance  of  tliis  work  of  grace,  so 
remarkably  and  singularly  the  work  ot  Ood,  was  the 
coming  of  a  cadet,  alone  and  most  unexpectedly,  to 
introduce  himself  to  the  Chaplain,  and  unburthen 
tlie  sorrows  of  a  contrite  heart.  All  around  him 
was  coldness  and  scepticism.  To  speak  decidedly 
in  favour  of  religion,  was  then  so  unusual  in  the  Acad- 
emy that  it  made  one  singular.  To  converse  with  the 
Chaplain  on  that  subject,  had  not  yet  been  ventured 
by  any,  except  out  of  ojiposition  to  the  truth.  That 
any  would  appear  there  seriously  seeking  eternal  lil'e, 
even  the  Chaplain  was- afraid  to  hope.  But  the  darkest 
of  the  night  is  nearest  the  dawn.  A  cadet  did  venture 
to  come,  in  open  day,  to  the  Cha])lain's  study,  too 
deeply  concerned  to  heed  what  would  be  said  of  him. 
He  was  personally  unknown   to  the  Cha])lain.      His 


38 

message  lie  tried  to  utter,  but  could  not.  Again  he 
tried,  and  again ;  but  the  lieart  was  too  full  for  speech. 
At  length  it  was:  ^^  tell  me  what  irwst  I  do — I  have  came 
about  my  soul.  I  know  not  what  I  want — I  am  entirely 
in  the  dark.  What  must  I  seek?  where  must  I  go? 
Such  was  the  first  declaration  of  one  wJio  for  some 
days,  had  been  awakened  under  the  preaching  and 
reading  of  the  truth.  A  sermon  preached  on  the 
Scriptures,  and  a  tract,  sent  at  a  venture,  from  the 
Chaplain's  study  to  whomsoever  it  might  meet,  had 
been  blessed  to  his  soul.*  Doubts  and  cavils  were  all 
abandoned.  Implicit  submission  seemed  his  engrossing 
principle.  From  that  moment,  the  young  man  ap- 
peared to  take  up  the  cross,  and  to  stand  decidedly 
and  boldly  on  the  Lord's  side.  The  singular  and  very 
prominent  evidence  of  the  hand  of  God  in  this  case, 
was  very  greatly  blessed  to  others.  By  and  by,  he 
professed  Christ  in  the  sacrament  of  Baptism,  which 
was  administered  to  iiim,  with  others,  recently  turned  to 
the  Lord,  in  the  chapel  of  the  Military  Academy,  and  in 
presence  of  all  the  corps.  After  graduating  at  that  in. 
stitution  and  leaving  the  army,  he  passed  through  a 
regular  course  of  study  for  the  holy  ministry,  and  was 
successively  ordained  Deacon  and  Presbyter.  Many 
years  have  since  elapsed.  The  Chaplain  has  since 
been  called  to  a  higher  order  in  tlie  ministry,  and  more 

*  Tlie  tract  was  sent  by  a  cadet,  wlio  in  obedience  to  tlie  request  of  a  pious 
father,  of  whose  death  he  had  just  lieard,  had  come  to  introduce  himself  to  the 
Cliaplain.  He  was  not  then  of  a  serious  mind  in  religion.  A  (ract  was  put  into 
his  hatid  for  himself;  another,  as'  bread  upon  the  waters,  with  tlie  direction, 
'^  dfop  it  any  xchcre  in  the  harraclis ;  perhaps  I  shall  hear  from  it.''  He  smiled, 
promised  compliance,  and  dropped  it,  unseen,  in  Uie  room  of  his  friend,  the 
cadet  above  named.  That  day,  a  week,  the  chaplain  licurd  from  it,  as  related 
in  the  discourse.  But  still  he  who  dropped  it  was  not  known  to  care  for  his  soul. 
The  other,  having  learned  from  the  Cliaplain  to  what  cadet  he  was  so  indebted, 
j)ut  a  pious  book  in  his  way— (Gregory's  Letters.)  Soon  the}-  were  in  prayer 
together  in  private.  Soon,  he  who  was  first  in  Christ  j)resented  the  otiier,  as 
one  seeking  the  peace  of  God,  at  the  place  where  tlie  prayers  of  cadets  were  then 
leont  to  be  made,  (the  Chaplain's  study.)  One  of  tliein  is  now  a  Bishop;  tlie 
other,  a  most  beloved  minister  of  the  Gosjicl,  well  known  as  the  devoted  and 
successful  Pastor  of  one  of  the  largest  flocks  of  the  Diocese  of  Virginia. 

The  Letters  of  Olinthus  Gregory,  LL.  D.,  on  the  Evidences,  Doctrines  and 
Duties  of  Christianity,  were  of  eminent  use  at  that  time.  'J'lie  American  Kdi- 
tion  wa*  published,    at  the  Clinplain's  instance  for   that  meridian. 


39 

enlarged  responsibilities  in  the  church.     The  Cadet, 
meanwhile,  after  many  vicissitudes  of  active  duty  and 
of  disabling  ill  health,  sui)})osed  he  had  settled  himself 
for  the  rest  of  his  life,  as  a  preacher  and  ])astor  to  an 
humble  and  obsure  congregation  of  negroes,  whom  he 
had  collected  together  fron)    neighbouring  ])lantati()ns; 
to    whom,     living    entirely   upon    his    own    ])ecuniary 
means,   he  ap})ropriated  a  part  of  his  own  house  for  a 
church,  and  lo  whose  eternal   interests  lie  had  chosen 
cheerfully  and  happily  to  devofe  iiimself,   as  their  spir- 
itual father,  with   no  emolument  but  their  salvation. 
But  such  was  just  the  true  spirit  for  the  highest  of  all 
vocations  in  the  church.     To  be  a  serv-ant  of  servants, 
is  the  very  school   in  which  to  prepare  for  the   chief 
ministry  \mder   him  who  took  on  him  the  form  of  a 
servant.     The  church  needed  a  Missionary  Bishop  for 
avast  field,  for  great  self-denial,  for  untiring  patience, 
for  courageous  enterprize.      Her  eye  was  directed  to  the 
self-appointed    pastor   of    that   humble    congregation. 
With  most  impressive  unanimity  did  she  call  him  away, 
to  a  work,  not  indeed  of  more  dignified  duty,  but  of 
more  eminent  responsibility ;  not  indeed,  of  more  ex- 
<piisite  satisfaction  to  a  Christian's  heart,  (for  what  can 
give  a  true  Christian  heart  more  exquisite  satisfaction, 
than  to  lead  such  of  the  poor  to  Christ?)  but  of  severer 
trials,    and  vastly  greater    difficulties    and    liardships. 
Counting  the  cost,  he  has  not  dared  to  decline  it.     Re- 
garding the  call  as  of  God,  he  has  embraced  the  promis- 
ed grace,  and  is  now  ready  to  be  offered.     And  thus  the 
Chaplain  has  here  met  the  beloved  Cadet  again,  seeing 
and  adorinq^the  end  of  the  Lord  in  that  remarkable  be- 
ginning;   and  now,  with   unspeakable   thankfulness   to 
God,  for  what  he  here  witnesses,  may  he  say  to    this 
candidate,   elect,  for  labour  and  sacrifice,  in  the  words 
of  St.   Paul  to  his  beloved  disciple: 

"Thou  therefore,   mv  son,   be  strong   in    the  grace 
that  is  in  Christ  .Jesus.      Kndure   hardness  as  a  good 


40 

soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.     And  the  things  thou  hast  heard 
of  me  among  many  witnesses,  the   same  commit  thou 
to  faithful  men  who  sliall  be  able  to  teach  others  also." 
I  call  you  SoUf  in  affectionate  recollection  of  the  past. 
I  call  you  JBro/hcr  now,  in  affectionate  consideration  of 
the  present  and  the  future.     Dear,  beloved  brother,  I 
see  plainly  in  prospect  the  hardness  you  are  to  endure. 
I  mean  not,  hardness  to  the  body.    Of  this,  indeed,  you 
will  have  no  lack  in  your  wide  circuits  of  travel  and  la- 
bour.   But  this  is  not  the  cross  I  speak  of.    Hardness  to 
the  spirit,  I  mean;  trials  of  patience,  and  faith,  and  love, 
andmeel^ness;  trials  of  the  heart,  painful  and  constant, 
— such  as  Jesus  knew  so  acutely,  because  his  spirit  was 
so  pure,  his  heart  so  tender,  his  sense  of  the  hateful- 
ness  of  sin  so  deep — ^trials,  such  as  you  will  feel  acutely, 
in  proportion  as  you  attain  towards  the  purity  and 
elevation  of  the  mind  of  your  dear  Master.     But  "  God 
hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear."     *'Be  thou  parta- 
ker of  the  afdictions  of  the  gospel,  according  to  the 
power  of  God."     "  Endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of 
Jesus  Christ."      Be  ever  looking  unto  him,  glorious 
Captain  of  your  salvation ! — ever  considering  him  who 
endured  such  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself; 
have  in  him  the  simple  confidence  of  a  good  soldier; 
show  the  implicit  obedience,  the  patient  watchfulness, 
the  intrepid  zeal,    tlie  entire  devotedness   of  a  good 
soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.     Your  strength  is  all  in  him. 
It  is   enough.      Use  it.      It  waits    your  call.     Draw 
upon  that  right  hand  of  power  till  you  are  ''strong  in 
the  Lord'''     Carry  the  spirit  of  the  pastor  of  that  con- 
gregation of  slaves,  the  spirit  of  a  servant  of  servants, 
into  the  highest  v/alks  of  your  office.      A  ruler  by 
commission ;  be  always  the  servant  of  all  in  spirit  and 
in  work.     Wash  the  disciples'  feet.     Do  any  tiling  to 
bring  sinners  to  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  the 
renewing  of  the   Holy  Ghost.      Count  all  things  but 
loss,  that  the  lost  mav  "win   Christ  and  be  found  iu 


41 

liini."      13c  yourself  an   cxainplo  of  the  plainest,  the 
most  pointed,   distinct,   earnest  and  constant  preaching 
of  Christ.      Tliis,  and  the  raising  up  and  sending  out  of 
others  to  the  same  work,  is  the  high  vocation  to  wliich 
jou  are   called.      Strive   to  surround   yourself   with   a 
ministry  after  this  pattern;  a  ministry  of  men  school- 
ed in  the   experience  of  the  preciousness  of  Christ; 
scliooled  in  the  mind  of  Christ;  tauglit  of  God  how  to 
set  him  forth  to  the   consciences  and   liearts,  to  the 
wants,  and  fears,  and  woes  of  this  lost  and  blinded  race. 
*'Lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man."     Aim  indeed  at  a 
numerous  ministry,  because  absolutely  needed.      Aim, 
infinitely  more,  at  a  ministry  full  of  the  Holy  (ihost; 
knowing    Christ,    teaching    Christ,    following    Christ; 
ready  to  endure  all  things  for  Christ  and  his  kingdom. 
When  difficulties  thicken,  and  helpers  are  few,  and  the 
wilderness  is  dark  and  dry,  remember  that  you  do  not 
minister  to  others  without  being  ministered  unto;  you 
liave   a    "  Good  SlLepliercV^ — out  of  sight — but   always 
near;    ever  holding  you  with  his  right  hand.      Jesus 
ministereth  to  you.     Let  him  minister.     0])en  your 
whole  soul  to  the  working  of  his  silent,  all-subduing 
ministry.      It  will  lift  up  \our  heart,  and  fill  you  witli 
peace,  and  make  your  wilderness  and  solitary  })lace  to 
be  glad. 

Finally,  remember,  the  time  is  short.  The  six  work- 
ing days  of  this  short  week  will  soon  be  over;  the 
everlasting  Sabbath  will  soon  begin.  Labour  hard. 
The  work  is  great;  but  wiiat  we  do,  must  be  done 
quickly.  "We  must  give  ourselves  contiiuially  to 
prayer  and  the  ministry  of  the  word."  A\'e  look  "for 
the  appearing  of  the  great  (jod  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ."  Watch  and  work  I  With  a  Father's  heart,  I 
pray  for  you.  With  a  Brother's  heart,  I  ])ray  for  you; 
commendincr  vou  to  (xod  and  the  word  of  his  ixrace. 
**The  God  of  peace,  who  brought  again  from  the  dead 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep; 


tlirough  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make 
you  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  his  will,  working 
in  you  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  through 
Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen." 


APPENDIX  TO  PAGE  27. 


It  is  very  commonly  supposed  that  because  an  episcopal  cliurcli  lias  bis!iO|)s, 
and  the  Roniisli  cliurch  also  has  bishops,  and  the  bishop  of  Rome  is  tlie  Pope, 
therefore  an  episcopal  church,  tliougli  Protestant,  must  be  a  hand-maid  to 
Popery.  It  would  be  quite  as  legitimate  to  say,  that  whereas  the  Pope  relien 
upon  Presbyters,  such  as  those  of  the  Monastic  orders  and  of  the  society  of 
Jesuits,  as  the  main  supporters  of  his  claims  of  supremacy,  against  the  claims 
of  diocesan  Bishops  ;  and  whereas  Presbyters  are  the  only  ministers  of  non-epis- 
copal communions,  therefore  non-episcopal  communions  are  hand- maids  to  Pope- 
ry. The  truth  is,  that  a  jirim.ilive  epitcopacy  and  the  claims  of  Popery  are 
absolutely  irreconciieabie.  Nothing  does  the  Pope  more  labour  to  destroy  than 
an  independent  Episcopacy.  No  barrier  stands  so  much  in  his  way  as  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopacy  of  England.  In  the  famous  RomiaJi  Council  of  Trent,  the 
question  was  warmlv  debated  whether  Bishops  were  of  a  distinct  order  from 
Presbyters.  The  Legates  of  the  Pope  did  all  they  could  to  stop  the  debate.  They 
wanted  the  question  to  be  considered  as  undecided,  lesl  it  should  bring  Bishop.i 
into  unpleasant  equality  with  Him  of  Rome,  whom  they  wished  to  be  considered 
as  the  only  Bishop  hy  distinction  of  order.  It  was  long  debated  in  the  same  coun- 
cil, whether  Bishops  held  their  office  "di-jure  divino,"  or  ^'  dc  jure  pontijicio  ;" 
from  Christ  or  the  Pope  ;  througli  the  Apostles  iu  general,  or  only  Si.  Peter,  aa 
Christ's  sole  vicar  on  earth.  Tlie  latter  was  strenuously  maintained  by  the  Reg- 
ulars or  Monastic  orders,  by  the  Jesuits,  (the  Pope's  body  guards,)  and  the 
Cardinal- Legates  of  His  Holiness.  Ttielr  doctrine  may  be  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing extracts  from  the  speech  of  Laynez,  General  of  the  Jesuits.  He  said  '•  the 
Apostles  were  made  Bishops,  not  by  Christ,  but  by  St.  Peter  ;"  that  Bishops 
"held  their  office  and  authority  of  St.  Peter's  successor."  He  advised  the  council 
to  beware,  "lest  by  making  the  institution  of  Bishops  of  divine  right,  they  should 
take  away  the  Hierarchy  and  bring  an  Oligarchy,  or  rather  an  Anarchy."  He 
censured  those  who  held  there  is  any  power  in  Eishopp,  received  from  Christ, 
"because  it  v.- ou  Id  ft/Ax  tncay  the  pritikga  of  the  Roman  Church,  tfutt  the  Pope  {»• 
the  Head  of  the  Church,  and  Vicar  of  Chiist."  "He  said  it  was  a  mere  contradic- 
tion, to  say  the  Pope  is  Head  of  the  Churcli  and  the  government  Monarchical, 
.nnd  then  say  there  is  a  power  or  jurisdiction  not  derived  from  him,  but  received 
from  others." 

The  discourse  of  the  learned  Jesuit  was  exceedingly  extolled  by  the  special 
advocates  of  tlie  Popedom.  "  The  Panalins,"  says  an  histcjrian  of  the  Council, 
"  said  it  was  most  learned  and  subEtantlal."  The  strenucus  admirers  of  its 
doctrines  were  among  lite  Regulars,  the  Jesuits,  the  Legates  and  Cardinals. 
But  who  were  the  strenuous  opponents  of  such  doctrines  ?  Bishops — and  the 
Divines  whom  thry  brought  with  them  to  the  (Council.     Of  Iho  former,  Kcveial 


•poke  in  defenco  of  »ucii  iloclrinos  an  llie  following^,  from  llio  spcecli  of  llic 
Archbishop  of  Greiuida:  "  Wheresoever  a  Bishop  shall  be,  whether  in  Rome  or 
in  Angubium,  all  arc  of  the  same  merit,  and  of  the  name  prieslhood,  and  all 
miccesaors  of  the  Apostles."  "He  inveijrhiHl  against  tliose  who  said  St.  I'eter 
had  ordained  the  other  Apo.stles,  IJishops.  He  adinonisjied  the  council  to  study 
the  Scriptures  and  obyervc  that  power  to  teach  throughout  the  world,  to  adminis- 
ter the  sacraments  and  to  govern  the  church,  is  e'jually  given  to  all.  And 
therefore  as  the  Apostles  had  authority,  not  from  I'eter,  but  from  Christ,  so  (lie 
successors  of  the  Apostles  hnrc  not  jioircr  from  Pbtcr,    but  from   Clirist  himself." 

The  Archbishop  of  Paris  was  conspicuous  in  his  opposition  to  the  doclrinen  of 
the  .Monkti,  Jesuits,  Legates  and  Cardinals.  He  dated  the  commencement  of 
the  I'opu's  war  against  Ki)iscopacy,  ii»  the  eleventh  century.  •' Tlie  Bishops 
(he  said)  held  tlieir  authority  entire,  until  tlic  year  1050,  when  it  received  a 
great  blow  by  the  Cluniacensian  and  Cislertian Congregations,  (Monastic  orders) 
and  others  which  arose  in  that  age,  because  many  functions,  proper  and  essential 
to  Disliops,  iccre  bij  their  means  Teduced  to  Rome.  But  when  the  Mendicants 
began  afler  the  year  11?00,  almost  all  t)ie  exercise  of  Episcopal  authority  was 
quite  taken  away,  and  given  to  thcni  by  privilege.  Now  this  new  congregation, 
born  but  the  other  da}',  (.lesuity, )  v/hich  is  neither  secular  nor  regular,  to  go 
beyond  their  predecessors,  doth  labour  to  lake  away  all  jurisdiction  of  Bishops, 
by  saying  it  is  not  given  them  by  Goil,  and  that  they  ouglil  to  acknowledge  that 
they  have  received  it  of  men."  The  .Icsuits  have  well  continued  in  the  same 
course  ever  since.  They  have  no  liking  for  diocesan  Episcopacy  claiming  to 
hold  trorii  Christ,  instead  of  the  I'ope. 

We  see  from  the  above  that  opposition  to  the  divmi;  institution  of  an  indepen- 
dant  diocesan  Episcopacy,  did  not  originate  witii  I'rotestante.  It  began  long 
before  the  Refor.nation.  It  was  the  monastic  doctrine  in  the  11th  century;  the 
Jesuit  doctrine  in  the  16lh.  T'le  inferior'  clergy  maintained  it  in  support  of  the 
high  claims  of  the  papal  throne.  The  Bishops  opposed  it,  in  resistance  of  those 
claims.  Tlien,  as  now,  the  shortest  way  to  favour  despotism,  was  to  preach 
levclism.  It  is  curious  to  see  in  the  debates  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  how  the 
special  "  I'lijmUsts,"  as  the  historian  calls  them,  in  trying  to  elevate  the  Pope, 
by  depressing  the  Bishops,  contended  for  purity  of  order  between  them  ond 
Presbyters,  with  many  of  the  samr;  arguments  which  are  now  userl  for  tiio  same 
parity,  by  Protestants,  under  the  idea  that,  in  contending  against  Diocesan 
Episcopacy,  they  are  really  warring  against  Popery. 

The  above  extracts  have  been  taken  from  I'ra  I' nolo' s  History  of  the  Council  of 
Trent,  Hook  7.  An  extract  from  anotiier  author  will  conclude  this  note. 
*'  When  the  Po[)e  could  not  carry  liis  ca\ise  against  episcopacy  in  the  council  of 
Trent,  he  took  ariulher  method,  and  that  was  to  set  up  a  number  of  Priests,  that 
is  the  Regulars  (Monks)  whom  ho  exempted  from  the  jurisdiction  of  their  resptc- 
tive  bishops,  an<l  framed  them  into  a  nielliod  and  discipline  of  their  own,  accoun- 
table only  to  superiors  of  his  and  tli^'irown  contriving.  Tlie^e  usurp  itions  cpon 
tiie  episcopal  authority,  made  tlio  fatnous  An-Iibishop  of  Spalato  quit  his  great 
preferments  in  tlic  Ciiurcli  of  Rome,  and  travel  into  England  in  iho  reign  of 
James  I.  to  seek  for  a  more  primitive  and  indcpendant  episcopacy.  Himself,  in 
his  Consilium  Proficlionis,  gives  the  sam^  reasons  for  it;  and  that  thirs  sham  ful 
depression  of  episcopacy  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  was  the  cause  of  his  leaving 
her."  —  I^cslic  on  Qualifications  to  Administer  the  Satramrnts. 

«  \Vc  inrliidf  the  fnrflinali  iimnii^  die  in/frlfr  rU-rfty  ;  fnr  thoii|;li  tlipv  rnitotitiirr  Itip  contutnry 
whirh  ro.-illv  nilpn  tin-  Koninh  (  hiiri  h,  .iiul  rlniir.«  in  tlic  nnni<- nf  the  PinM-  (r>  riilo  llir  (  hiirrli 
Vniv>.>rs.-\1,  tin-;,  arc   .i\nir>.t   :.\\  nf   tlic   onlcr  of  lTr«li;icr»  or   »'n. -i  I  i.r  i       "  "n  in   niitr.lirr 

whc.-v   tlic   sari-Ml  roll«<({0  is   i-ompU'to;  ofHhoin  oi.ly'n  an>  I'.-  r  t>t    Ihp  rrW 

I>riiron«.     Whptli'^r  thr  I'opo  n-lir*  upon    Pithnfw  for  Ihr  mij.i  .im«,'  "r   foeU 

it  ncctwsory  to  fiirrounil  him«cli"  with  »  r^rrfrt  loniUiirf,  rgrrr  .• 


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